Most Recorded Artist-world record set by Asha
Bhonsle
Bollywood, India--Singing legend Asha Bhonsle,
76, has been documenting each and every song that she has
sung since 1984 and the count stands at 13,000 -setting the
new world record for the Most
Recorded Artist.
From pop and cabaret songs to club mixes,
romantic numbers, bhajans and ghazals - singing diva Asha
has sung it all. The magic of her voice continues to enthral
listeners across all ages and inspire budding singers even
now. (enlarge
photo)
Having sung for actresses of older films like
Madhubala, Nutan, Asha Parekh, Helen and Rekha to giving playback
to Urmila Matondkar, Kajol, Karisma Kapoor and Gracy Singh
among the newer ones, Asha has contributed to the Indian film
industry for more than six decades now.
For her contribution to music in Indian
cinema, Asha was conferred the Dada Saheb Phalke Award, the
highest title in Indian cinema in 2000. She was also honoured
with the Padma Vibhushan by President Pratibha Patil May this
year.
Asha began her singing career with her first
film song "Chala chala nav bala" for the Marathi movie "Majha
Bal" in 1943.
When she set out to make a mark in Bollywood
with her first Hindi song "Saawan aaya" for Hansraj Bahl's
"Chunariya" in 1948, she faced tough competition from her
elder sister Lata Mangeshkar and others like Geeta Dutt, Shamshad
Begum, and Suraiya, who dominated the world of playback singing.
Asha's popularity goes beyond the Indian
shores owing to her various foreign collaborations with artistes
like Boy George and Stephen Lauscombe.
In 2002, she teamed with Michael Stipe
on the track "The Way You Dream" on the self-titled album
by 1 Giant Leap. In 2006, she recorded an album "Asha & Friends"
with film actors Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar and cricket
player Brett Lee.
Guinness World Records had previously recognised
Lata Mangeshkar as the Most
Recorded Artist in the world from 1974 to 1991.
Asha was ready to stake a claim as the ‘Most
Recorded Artist’ but a shock awaited her. She was told
by the Guinness World Records that the category no longer
existed.
Asha feels that there is some politics behind
removing the category altogether and not allowing anyone to
claim it again.
Asha Bhonsle will be pleased to hear that
the World Record Academy, the world's largest certifying
organization, has recognized her achievement and will include
her new world record for the Most
Recorded Artist in the next Book of Records.
