Former Australian cricketer Brett Lee penned an emotional note for Asha Bhosle after the legendary singer died in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 92. Dr Prateet Samdani of Breach Candy Hospital confirmed that Bhosle was suffering from multiple health problems and died of organ failure. Bhosla is survived by her son Anand and her grandchildren.
The year was 2006 when the worlds of cricket and music collided in the most unexpected way! Lee collaborated with Bhosle on the duet “You’re the One”. It wasn’t just a song; it was the moment when the partnership took the audience, especially in India, by storm. Bhosle’s unexpected but memorable collaboration with Lee will also always stand out and be fondly remembered.
Reminiscing about their collaboration on Monday, Lee took to Instagram to describe himself as happy to have spent a little time with Bhosle. “I had the pleasure of writing and recording You’re the One for Me with Asha Bhosle in 2006. It’s something I will always be incredibly grateful for,” he wrote.
“What stuck with me the most was not just her extraordinary talent, but how kind and humble she was. For someone who had achieved so much in life, she carried herself with such warmth and generosity,” added Lee.
“My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time. I feel very fortunate to have been able to share even a small moment with someone so special. There is no doubt that her legacy will live on for generations to come,” Lee said.
How did the Brett Lee-Asha Bhosle collaboration come about?
The collaboration took place in 2006 when Lee was in India as part of the Australian team in the ICC Champions Trophy. During his visit, Lee was approached by a music label as part of an ambitious compilation project bringing together international artists for the Asha and Friends album.
The song titled ‘You’re the One for Me’ from the Asha and Friends album featured Lee singing Hindi lines alongside the Indian melody queen. He was heard singing “Haan, main tumhara hu, tumhara hi rahunga” in the track, much to the delight of music and cricket lovers. In his autobiography “My Life”, Lee described Bhosle as the Aretha Franklin of Indian music.
“We continued with the one-day regime for the Champions Trophy in India. This tour opened up an exciting opportunity for me outside of cricket. On a previous trip to India – I think in 2004 – I had an interview with popular TV presenter Simi Garewal on her program Rendezvous,” read an extract from Lee’s book.
“I sang a few songs, including ‘Muqabla’, a tune I first heard in a tuk-tuk on an academy tour in 1994. After that, Neil Maxwell was approached by some record company representatives who wanted to produce something with me for the local market. I didn’t think anything more of it until I met another Mum record company representative, Shamir Tanidon, before the Champions gig.
“Shamir revealed that he was working on a compilation with Asha Bhosle, one of the most famous Indian singers in history. She was in her 70s and had sung thousands of songs for Bollywood films and had countless albums. She was the Aretha Franklin of Indian music. Shamir said that the compilation would soon include a number of notable musicians and Bollywood actors who I sang as a noble list of actors. I heard one of them: Robbie Williams,” added Lee.
