“I am very happy. It is a great honour for me,” said Asha when she heard
about the award. But the news would also have been music to the ears of the vast
legion of her fans around the world.
The award carries a cash price of Rs 200,000, a shawl and a swarna kamal
[golden lotus]. The award was instituted in 1969 to commemorate the outstanding
contribution to the Indian film industry of the late Dadasaheb Phalke, the
country's first filmmaker. President K R Narayanan will give away the
prestigious award at Rashtrapati Bhavan later this year.
Born on September 8, 1933, Asha Bhosle was initiated into music by her
father, the renowned Marathi stage actor-singer Dinanath Mangeshkar. Having sung
her first song for a Marathi film in 1943, she celebrated her 58th year in the
entertainment industry this year.
Bhosle has the distinction of having sung nearly 12,000 songs in practically
every major Indian language. The versatility of her voice and talent have been
acknowledged through a host of awards conferred on her, including the National
Award twice, the prestigious Filmfare Award eight times, the Filmfare Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2001, several state governments awards, the MTV award and
the Channel [V] award five times. She is also the first Indian singer to have
been nominated for a Grammy Award.
Asha Bhosle hasn’t just survived through the ages. She has thrived. From
working with Shankar-Jaikishan for Raj Kapoor’s magnum opus Mera Naam Joker to
singing playback for Karisma Kapoor in Dil To Pagal Hai she has done it all.
Of course, her fans would say, there’s lots more to come.
Tickets: £15.00, £25.00, £30.00, £55.00, £65.00, £70.00
The star of Bollywood playback singing returns to the UK for one special show to help raise funds for older people in India.
With a glittering career spanning over 50 years in the Bollywood music and film industry, Asha Bhosle's name is legendary and she is adored by billions across continents, cultures and generations. No Bollywood film is complete without Asha's expressive voice with her immense versatility and breadth of talent. Respected by the classical and popular music worlds alike she has constantly developed her style to embrace the times, while maintaining a unique and strong artistic integrity.
Asha's exclusive one-night London show for Help the Aged will feature supporting vocalist Sudesh Bhosle plus a full company of musicians and dancers directly from Bombay.
Help the Aged secures and upholds the rights of older people everywhere. Funds raised through the Asha Bhosle concert will fund vital Mobile Medical Units which bring medical relief to older people in India who otherwise have difficulty accessing the aid they need.
She won a Grammy nomination in 1997 for her album Legacy, won The Freddie Mercury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts and also The Nightingale of Asia Award from the Indo-Pak Association in the UK. Now, Asha Bhosle’s set to receive yet another major international recognition at the hands of Tony Blair.
Says Asha’s son Anand, “We’ve received official intimation that mom will receive the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award this November and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair himself will be presenting her this honour in Birmingham.”
November will see yet another recognition for Asha as The Birmingham Film Festival pays her a special tribute. Also on the cards is a charity show at Royal Albert Hall. “I’m excited to get this huge recognition. It will also bring back a lot of old memories as it was in 1978 that I performed at the Royal Albert,” says Asha.
Asha Bhosle - A Night of Bollywood Exttravaganza
Friday 25 October 2002 8:00 pm - Tickets available
Blair sings Asha's tune
VIRAL BHAYANI
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2002 08:33:50 PM ]