KOCHI: ‘Swayamvara subhadina mangalangal, anumodanathinte ashamsakal...’ In the late ‘70s and ’80s, this song echoed through wedding receptions and celebrations across Kerala. The only song rendered by Asha Bhosle in Malayalam, for the 1977 film Sujatha, continue to be popular even five decades on.
From ‘Abhi na jao chod kar’ to ‘Dum maro dum’ and ‘Swayamvara shubhadinangal’, the songs rendered by Asha remain Malayalis’ favourites, dominating social media platforms. “Asha was in the field for more than eight decades. She started singing at a time when there were no soundproof studios or technologies. however, she continued to give voice to young actors, including Kajol.
All throughout, she witnessed these changes in the industry and sang for generations, which is rare,” said Ravi Menon, a music critic, citing that as one of the reasons why Asha has many followers and fans. If anything, in her passing, Malayali audiences are celebrating her legacy and recalling her work. “having sung tens of thousands of songs, it is difficult to single out her best ones. Like her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar, she too achieved great eminence as a singer.
She also gained admirers across the world,” Sreekumaran Thampi, lyricist and music composer, wrote on Facebook. Singer G Venugopal described her as a singer with a distinctive and unconventional voice. “Just as in her personal life, she moved far away from convention in her songs as well,” he wrote.
Sujatha, starring Prem Nazir, was directed by hariharan. Through ‘Swayamvara subhadina mangalangal’, set to music by Ravindra Jain, the Malayali audience even admired her for her adaptability to different languages. Ravi Menon said it was the decision of director Hariharan and singer K J Yesudas that led to Asha singing in Malayalam. “Latha Mangeshkar had already sung in Malayalam by then.
The recording of the song was in Mumbai. So it was convenient for her as well. ‘Swayamvara Subhadinamangalal’ remains a hit song in Malayalam,” he said, adding that since it was a celebrationrelated song, it was played at every event. Music lovers in Kerala continue to revisit her songs through radio, stage shows, and social media platforms, making them evergreen.