Legendary singer Asha Bhosle shared a long-standing professional and personal bond with veteran actress Saira Banu, delivering memorable songs like Main Chali, Zindagi Ittefaq Hai, Tujhko Dekh Kar and Mohe Tirchhi Najariya Na Maro. Over the years, their association grew beyond cinema into a warm friendship.Recalling her early memories, Saira told News18, “I first met Asha ji at a recording. During those times, the live orchestra would be outside at a recording theatre and there would be a cubicle for the singer with a mic. Asha ji, Lata ji, Mohammed Rafi saab and Mukesh ji were such wonderful people that they would let us, actors, sit with them inside the cubicle. We got to witness so many live recordings.”
She added, “During her recordings, Asha ji mujhe ishaara bhi karti thi beech beech mein. Unhone mujhe pehle hi kaha tha ki woh apni awaaz mere liye baarik kar rahi hai. I was a newcomer at that time. I was very, very young and I joined the movies straight out of school. I was a very thin girl with a baarik awaaz. She would keep reminding me that she’s changing her voice through her ishaaras inside the recording studio. She was truly effervescent, lovely, naughty and happy-go-lucky.”
‘That was the last time I spoke to her’
Saira revealed that she had recently spoken to the singer, making the loss even more personal.“I recently spoke to her during the month of Ramzan. I had seen an interview of hers where she was speaking of Ramzan, Eid and fasting so lovingly. I was so surprised! She conveyed a beautiful message of unity, togetherness, love and affection among people. I was thrilled with the way she spoke. She always spoke so well. I called her to speak to her about it.”“That was the last time that I spoke to her, not realising that soon enough, she would be so unwell. It came as a surprise to me. I remember seeing a video of hers attending a function (hinting at Arjun Tendulkar’s wedding) and she looked terribly weak. That was the last time that I saw her. It was absolutely shocking to see her that way. I never expected her to be so unwell all of a sudden.”
‘We were like family’
Saira also spoke about the deep-rooted bond their families shared, especially through Lata Mangeshkar and her husband Dilip Kumar.“She and Lata ji have been family friends. We spent a lot of time together. Dilip saab and I shared some meaningful time with them. We are that old-fashioned, classical crowd. We loved sharing stories about life and music. And we loved talking about food. Asha ji was crazy about very good food! She has a restaurant too. I never had anything cooked by her but she and Lata ji would come for meals at our house. The last time they came home, Lata ji ne apne haathon se Dilip saab ko khaana khilaaya tha. I have photographs from that day.”
‘Each was a master of their craft’
Reflecting on the musical legacy of the Mangeshkar sisters, Saira emphasised their individuality.“Both of them truly changed the path of Indian film music by conforming to what was needed in those times. They sang according to the times and the demand of the people. Lata ji had a style of her own. There were certain kinds of songs that Lata ji wouldn’t sing. Those were taken over by the very versatile, Asha ji.”She added, “She sung the tracks featuring the dancing queen, Helen ji, such as Mehbooba Mehbooba and Yeh Mera Dil, very differently. They had varying styles and each was a master of their craft.”
‘The loss of a friend is terrible’
An emotional Saira concluded, “Oh, the loss of a friend is such a terrible thing to go through! It’s such a terrible thing to lose people that you love. It’s awful.”Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai. She was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on April 11 following multiple health complications and died due to multi-organ failure, marking the end of an era in Indian music.
