When 16-year-old Asha Bhosle married Ganpatrao Bhosle against her family’s wishes, her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar strongly disapproved. The decision created a deep rift and for years, the two sisters barely spoke.
Born into the illustrious Mangeshkar family, both sisters were shaped by their father, Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar. After his untimely death, Lata, the eldest, became the family’s backbone. Bhosle followed her into music, initially in Lata’s shadow, but soon carving out a distinct identity of her own. Like her sister, Bhosle also passed away at 92.
Together and individually, they reigned over Indian film music. Rumours of rivalry persisted, but Bhosle always dismissed them. “People did carry tales and try to create trouble, but blood is thicker than water,” Bhosle said in several interviews.
Despite their differences, they shared the microphone on popular songs like ‘Main Chali Main Chali’ (1968) and ‘Chhap Tilak Sab’ (1978). Lata, too, addressed the speculation. “There never was any professional rivalry between us. She evolved a completely different style of singing from me. What she could do, I couldn’t do,” she said in an interview.