The “humanity and care” of the late Asha Bhosle continues to shine through the stories of those she mentored, with singer Arjun Kanungo sharing a deeply moving tribute on Monday, April 13, 2026.
Reflecting on their “magical” bond, Arjun revealed that he was just 19 when he first auditioned as a guitar player for her band. In a life-altering moment, the melody queen told him, “Guitar is fine, but you sing well. Learn to sing.” This one sentence from a legend with “boss energy” shifted the course of his entire life.
Arjun recalled his first concert at age 19, where a 76-year-old Asha ji—who had already been singing for six decades—proudly pushed him onto the stage. Despite his nerves and his confession that his Hindi wasn’t great, she encouraged his “unstoppable energy,” letting him perform English classics like Hotel California and We Will Rock You in front of 20,000 people.
“I’d just discovered something about myself I didn’t know before,” Arjun shared, noting that the joy of performing became clear that night. Even as he grew into a star in the “cinema jagat,” he remained in awe of her “true style” and the chances she gave him that he felt he “hadn’t earned yet.” As the nation bids farewell to a voice that belonged to everyone, Arjun’s gratitude stands as a “gorgeous” testament to a legacy that spans seven decades and 12,000 songs.