It was like the show of the century where a legend delivered a galore of her vast experience of over six decades in music. The prima-donna did not just sing and dance onstage, but moved the thousands of music lovers, who gathered at the Army Stadium on Friday, to enjoy soul shaking songs in a live concert.
The cheering audience warmly welcomed the living legend with a standing ovation as soon as she came onstage in a glowing white sari. And in response to the spontaneous love and respect of the audience, who waited for a while, even enduring pestering mosquito bites to enjoy the music from the nightingale, the legendary Asha Bhosle started her show with a all time hit ‘Pyar karne wale’, which highlights the elegance of a true lover.
She presented over 30 songs in Hindi, Bangla and Urdu in the mega concert. She also presented some duets with Runa Laila and Sudesh Bhosle.
After expressing her joy and love towards Bangladeshi audience with her broken yet endearing Bangla, the 79-year-old singer presented a medley of around ten of her popular tracks such as ‘Rat baaki baat baaki hona hai jo’, ‘Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko’, ‘Do lafzo ki hai yeh zindegani’ and ‘O mere sona re sona re’ in the first phase.
The craze of the audience increased as the iconic Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila and Asha presented the duet ‘Dama dam mast kalandar’ on stage. Runa, on behalf of Bangladesh, welcomed Asha formally by conferring her a bouquet. It was a unique moment to see the two master singers of the two neighbouring countries singing together, dancing and embracing each other. The crowd burst with joy while Asha promised Runa Laila that she would visit Bangladesh whenever Runa will ask her to. It was Asha’s second live concert at Dhaka after 1998.
Asha spoke of the interactions she had with her husband, the great music director late RD Burman. Recalling her association with Burman, she shared with the audience how the song ‘Puchho na yaar kya hua’ was composed, as she recreated its magic by singing it beautifully.
Asha also had the audience intrigued when she impersonated the styles and voices of different great singers like Ghulam Ali, Noor Jehan, Lata Mangeshkar, singing the lines of the classical song ‘Tora man darpan kehlaye re.’ She also did an appealing version impersonating actress Helen and a classical version in her own style.
Recalling legendary composer-singer SD Burman, who is also her in law and had great contribution for developing music career of Asha Bhosle at the initial stage of her career, Asha sang the Tagore song ‘Jagate ananda jagne’, which she had recorded in her solo Tagore album.
She then presented another medley, ranging from the old hit ‘Kajra muhabbatwala’ to contemporary smashing numbers like ‘Sharara Shara’, ‘Kambakht ishq’ and more. The queen of melody also swayed the crowd by delivering cabaret tracks like ‘Ye mera dil’, ‘Piya tu ab to aaja’ and others.
Popular Indian singer Sudesh Bhosle accompanied Asha to perform some cracking duets such as ‘Ek main aur ek tu’, ‘Tum kaha’ and ‘O hasina julfowali jaanejahan’.
Earlier, Sudesh, with his lively and witty stage performance, entertained the audience with hit numbers such as ‘Mere mahebub’, ‘Yeh jo mohabbat hai’, ‘Imtehan ho gayi intezar ki’, ‘Mere makhna’ and ‘Shava shava.’
-With New Age input
