Who is Asha Bhosle’s husband? From a troubled, abusive marriage to building a musical legacy with RD Burman

Iconic Indian singer Asha Bhosle, who died at the age of 92 in ‌Mumbai today, had a tumultuous marriage and separation just at the age of 16 when she eloped with her neighbour Ganpatrao Bhosle, reported BBC. Asha Bhosle left her husband in 1960 as a single mother of three children. She later teamed up with Burman, whom she married in 1980. Burman died in 1994 at the age of 54. Asha Bhosle and RD Burman built an extraordinary musical legacy together over 25 years.

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Who was Asha Bhosle's husband?

Veteran singer Asha Bhosle had once spoken about the challenges she faced in her personal life, particularly her first marriage. Asha Bhosle's husband isolated her from the family, "preventing contact for years", reported BBC citing Lata Mangeshkar. Ganpatrao also took her to music directors, hoping to profit from her talent and exerting control over her, causing her great hardship, the report revealed.


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Asha Bhosle married Ganpatrao Bhosle when she was just 16, while he was 31. In an earlier interview with Kavita Chhiber, the legendary singer reflected on her early decision to marry against her family's wishes.

She said, "I did get married at a very young age to a man who was 20 years older than I was." Calling it a love marriage, she shared how the decision created distance within her family.

She shared, "It was a love marriage and Lata didi did not speak to me for a long time. She disapproved of the alliance. The family was very conservative, and they could not handle a singing star for a daughter-in-law."

'The abuse and ill treatment'

Asha Bhosle also revealed that her husband did not allow her to maintain close ties with her family, especially with Lata Mangeshkar. While things seemed to stabilise after the birth of her second son, Hemant, the situation did not improve for long. She revealed that she endured abuse in the marriage and eventually had to leave while she was pregnant with her third child.

Recalling that phase, she said, "There was abuse and ill-treatment, and I was finally asked to leave when I was expecting my youngest son Anand, and I did go back to my mother, sisters, and brother. I do not blame anyone and have no ill will. I feel if I had not met Mr. Bhosle, I would not have had these three amazing children, and life turned out okay."

After separating from her first husband, Asha Bhosle later formed a close bond with music composer R. D. Burman. The two married in 1980, marking a second marriage for both. Reports suggest that R. D. Burman had pursued her persistently before she agreed to the marriage.

Although they later lived separately due to differences, including Burman’s lifestyle, they continued to maintain mutual respect and admiration for each other until his death in 1994.