Legendary singer Asha BhosleWho died at the age of 92, gave him a magical voice that touched many languages and generations. Among his extensive body of work, he recorded only one Malayalam song – the evergreen ‘Swayamvara Subhadina Mangalangal’ from the 1977 film ‘Sujatha’.The rare track, composed by Ravindra Jain it is iconic and here is an untold story of the gem.
Asha Bhosle’s only Malayalam song
Asha Bhosle sang ‘Swayamvara Subhadina Mangalangal’ for the 1977 Malayalam film Sujatha.As reported by On Manorama, the song was created through a special recommendation from KJ Yesudas. He suggested Ravindra Jain, a visually impaired musical genius, for the project. Jain revealed that he wants Asha Bhosle to sing the song.Producer PV Gangadharan and lyricist Mankombu Gopalakrishnan traveled to RK studios in Mumbai to meet him and finish the recording.
Asha Bhosle’s dedication on recording
Asha showed impressive professionalism in the show. He insisted on mastering the correct pronunciation of every Malayalam word.Asha Bhosle found sounds like ‘zha’, ‘nja’ and the slight variations of ‘ra’ and ‘na’ quite difficult. He worked hard to overcome these issues.
Mankombu Gopalakrishnan’s eulogy for Asha Bhosle
Lyricist Mankombu Gopalakrishnan later praised Asha’s commitment in an interview. He opened up about how he approached the song with total dedication, refusing to take shortcuts.Following Asha Bhosle’s death on April 12, several celebrities paid heartfelt tributes.Playback singer Usha Uthup shared a throwback image and wrote, “Thank you for coming to our studio and leaving your lasting memory right here.. momere putul.. Nazrul geet was the song she sang. @asha.bhosle ji … with admiration, admiration and respect … We all love you.. Thanks for the music…”He also fondly remembered Malayalam singer KS Chithra saying, “Today we have lost a voice that meant so much to so many people. She brought joy, comfort and inspiration over the years, becoming a part of our lives in a special way. Though she is gone, the memories and impact she created will always remain with us. Om Shanthi Asha Bhosle ji.”
