After a successful career spanning over six decades, veteran Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle has said that she would have preferred to be a classical vocalist but had to turn to the film industry because it offered more money.
"There was a time when I used to ask my guruji what should I sing to earn money and he told me to go for live music. I started singing that and I joined films for money as I had to raise my kids. It was very saddening to leave classical music behind," said Bhosle.
The singer, who was in the capital to inaugurate a three-day concert A Life in Melody: A 100-Minute Tribute to Vilayat Khan, organised by 100 Piper's Pure Music, also recalled her association with the Sitar legend.
"I remember him from the time when artists used to come and perform without money being the consideration. I have been listening to him from that time. What I sing today is a result of listening to him," Bhosle said.
"There are musicians who are prepare before they set out to perform while there are others who play with spontaneity. Ustad Vilayat Khan was someone who blended them both. I have never listened to anything like that ever again," added the singer, who also sang Ambar Ki Pak Surahi from 1976 film Kadambari, composed by the sitar legend, at the event.
The 76-year-old singer, whose album Precious Platinum was recently featured in the Top 100 Greatest World Music albums of all time by Amazon.com, feels that the music scenario has changed a lot from the time she started singing.
The singer who has sung over 12,000 songs said that despite leaving classical music she was lucky to work with several musical maestros in films.
"I am lucky that the film line gave me a chance to work with stalwarts like Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar and the duo of Shiv-Hari (Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia) when they started composing for films and I could not have asked for more," said the versatile singer.
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