Legendary singer Asha Bhosle recently made her podcast debut on Couple of Things with RJ Anmol and Amrita Rao, where she shared heartfelt anecdotes about her late husband and legendary music composer, R.D. Burman, their bond, and her lifelong journey with music.
Bhosle fondly remembered Burman’s unassuming nature, revealing that he never carried an air of greatness despite his iconic status. “He didn’t even know that he was such a big music director. He made music, but he had no ego about it. People die for money, but if I gave him a diamond, he would say, ‘What is this? A stone? Instead, get a good song recorded.’ That record was more valuable to him than a diamond.”
She also spoke about their affectionate nicknames, reminiscing, “Earlier, I used to call him Pancham. Then, I sang a song, ‘Babua,’ and he started calling me that. Over time, I shortened it to ‘Bab.’ But, in front of people, he would call me by my name.”
She also revealed the emotional struggle of singing such songs on stage. “In the studio, with a music director present, it’s easier. But now, he’s not there. On stage, emotions take over. The throat chokes, the voice trembles. Memories come flooding back—those nights, those letters, those roses by the pillow. The audience connects too, reliving their own past.”

At 91 years old, Bhosle shared her biggest desire, emphasizing that her only wish now is to sing till her last breath. “What is a mother’s desire? That her children are well. A grandmother’s desire? That her grandchildren are happy. My only wish now is to die while I’m still singing. There’s nothing left to learn for me. I’ve sung my whole life. I started learning classical music at three. It has been 82 years of playback singing. Aur abhi jake ye ichchha hai ke gaate gaate mera dum nikle. That would make me the happiest.”

However, she added with a smile, “I can’t live without singing.”