Thursday, September 3, 2009

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.
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   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.