Happy birthday Asha Bhosle: When the ace singer urged actor Sakshi Tanwar to always stay in touch with her craft

Asha Bhosle, who turns 88 today, is undoubtedly an artist par excellence and enjoys an enviable fan following because of her iconic body of work.

While almost everyone is aware of her contribution to the Indian film industry, not many may know that she once offered some valuable advice to actor Sakshi Tanwar, the star of hit TV shows such as Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. Speaking to DH, 'Pallavi' recently revealed that the National Award winner asked her to stay in touch with her craft even when on a break.

"I met her many years ago when I was on a sabbatical after wrapping up Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. She told me that one needs to stay in touch with one's craft even when not working. Ashaji urged to always keep working and highlighted that one can lose the gift if not in touch with his or her field," said the actor.

Asha Bhosle began her Hindi film career with the Saawan Aaya song from Chunariya, which hit the screens in 1948. It was, however, the 1952 release Sangdil that opened new avenues for her. She subsequently found a foothold in the industry with her work in films such as Boot Polish, CID, Teesri Manzil and Waqt. She won her first Filmfare Award when she sang the Garibon Ki Suno song from Dus Lakh. The singer rendered several western numbers, filmed on Helen, which established her as the 'Cabaret Queen' of Hindi cinema. Their most memorable songs include Piya Tu Ab To Aaja (Caravan), O Haseena (Teesri Manzil), Yeh Mera Dil (Don).

Also read: 'My grandmother’s music is a way of life'

In 1981, 'Tai' tried to experiment with her image when she sang Dil Cheez Kya Hain from ace filmmaker Muzaffar Ali's magnum opus Umrao Jaan, which helped her win her first National Award. She won her second National Award when she collaborated with R D Burman for the Mera Kuchh Saamaan song from Ijaazat. Asha Bhosle remained a force to be reckoned with in the 1990s, garnering critical acclaim for her songs in Rangeela. In 2001, she sang the popular song Kambakth Ishq from the romantic-thriller Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. She eventually reduced her professional commitments to concentrate on her personal life.

Sakshi, meanwhile, carved a niche for herself in Bollywood when she essayed a key role in the 2016 release Dangal. The star was last seen in Dial 100, which marked her first major collaboration with National Award winner Manoj Bajpayee. It was released on Zee 5 a few weeks ago and received mixed reviews from critics.