The name Asha Bhosle is synonymous with peppy and sizzling number like Dum Maro Dum ", Yeh Mera Dil Pyar Ka Diwana",Piya Tu Ab To Aaja... So one may wonder how could Asha Bhosle sing the complex ghazals in UMRAO JAAN so effectively that fetched her National Award.

On the legendary singer Asha Bhosle's 82nd birthday; Raaga.Com unfolds the secret. Read on...

Asha Bhosle's command over seductive and fast numbers has been so commanding that even the new generation music maverick A.R. Rahman could not resist and employed her for the sizzling song Tanha Tanha Yahan Pe Jeena Ye Koi Baat -(RANGEELA). Truly when the song was picturised on Urmila Matondkar it brought out the sensuality of Urmila Matondkar in her voice vividly and created magic.

Asha Bhosle's elder sister and Melody Queen Lata Mankeshkar too credit Asha's mastery over such songs that have helped her escalate to dizzy heights of stardom.

In an interview she cited that major reason for Asha Bhosle's success as a singer was her ability to innovate and develop her own brand of singing. She said, "I'm very proud of Asha. Thank God she didn't adopt my style of singing and because of her own identity she was able to establish herself."

Interestingly while Asha Bhosle's forte has been fast and peppy numbers what is commendable about Asha Bhosle is her equal' mastery in Indian Classical music. Of course the credit for which goes Khayyam, the music legend, who made her immortal in his film UMRAO JAAN. Remember the super hit ghazals like Dil cheez kya hai..., In aankhon ki masti ke.., Ye kya jagah hai..., Justju jiski thi...

The movie fetched her National Award and the world was left dumbfounded at her command over ghazal and Indian Classical music.

Speaking about Asha; Khayyam says, "Initially she was not offered songs picturised on the heroine because she was typecast as a fast number specialist. But I found her to be very enthusiastic and hard working. She would rehearse for hours. Hence in my first film BIWI (1948), I asked her to sing the song Mere man ke aangan chand chamka.. for then superstar Mumtaz Shanti."

He added, "She sang it beautifully. Then, in Dilip Kumar's hit film FOOTPATH, I made her sing all the songs for the number one heroine of that era, Meena Kumari and this set the ball rolling for her in Bollywood."

Informing about the super hit ghazals of UMRAO JAAN, Khayaam reveals the secret, "Few know that for UMRAO JAAN, I had changed her tone. Initially she protested but when I assured her, she agreed. When she heard the song she was quite surprised that she could sing in such a tone. The songs proved her versatility and established her talent."

This article is from Raaga's music blog. Read more at http://blog.raaga.com