“Voice of Bollywood”: Singer Asha Bhosle dies at 92

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised her on social media as “one of India’s best-known and most versatile singers” who has enriched the country’s cultural heritage.

Born in 1933, Bhosle was 92 years old. The singer died in a Mumbai hospital due to multi-organ failure, The Hindu newspaper and other local media reported, citing hospital staff. She was therefore taken to hospital on Saturday night because of a serious infection.

In her decades-long career, Bhosle sang thousands of songs for film soundtracks without appearing on screen – her first film song as a child in 1943, reports say. Among other things, she lent her singing voice to actresses in countless Bollywood films. She also recorded records with other musicians in various musical styles and gave concerts.

She lent her singing voice to many Bollywood stars

Bhosle has reportedly recorded more than 12,500 songs in various languages. In October 2011, Bhose was included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded vocalist. At the time it was said that she had recorded up to 11,000 pieces as a soloist or in various ensembles.

Her voice can also be heard on a pop album: the British comic band Gorillaz invited her to take part in “The Mountain”. The work, recorded in Mumbai, New Delhi and Jaipur, also featured other Indian guests such as Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar.