Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle has been a name to contend with in the Hindi film industry since the last four decades. Considering that she had to grow up in the shadow of her sister, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha has indeed done very well for herself.

Initially she had to face the inevitable – unfair comparisons with her more popular sister. But she did not let that affect her. Perseverance paid off, as she overtook tough contenders, including Geeta Dutt.

The first composer to recognise her talent was O P Nayyar, for whom Asha sang memorable tunes such as Aankhon se jo utri hai dil mein in Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon to Yeh hai reshmi zulfon ka andhera in Mere Sanam.

It was Nayyar who helped Asha bring out such excellent sensuality in Aaiye meherban from the movie Howrah Bridge.

The other composer who influenced her was S D Burman, who taught her to bring forth her deepest emotions while singing. But the composition that won her the National Award for Best Singer was by R D Burman, whom she later married.

She won the award in the mid 1980s, while she was at the peak of her career, for the song Mera kuch saman tumhare paas pada hai from Ijaazat.

Not one to be left behind, Asha has now started experimenting with Indipop and remixes. And she has done a pretty good job at that – if the success of albums such as Rahul And I and Asha Once More is any indication.

Even her first Indipop album, Jaanam Samjha Karo, was a big hit and made Asha a rage among the younger generation.

Asha is probably one of the few singers today who can handle a sensuous song like Piya tu ab to aaja and ghazals such as Dil cheez kya hai with equal ease and grace.
==============================
Mohammed Rafi
The one singer in the Hindi film industry who has been imitated the most is Mohammed Rafi. But his caliber was such that none of his imitators could match up to him. His voice was so versatile that it suited any mood ranging from the boisterous to the melancholic.
Rafi was born on December 24, 1924 in a small village near Amritsar and later shifted to Lahore. He was first trained in music by Ghulam Ali Khan and he recorded his first song in 1944 for a Punjabi film Gul Baloch with music director Shyam Sunder. Not many people know that had acted in couple of films, Laila Majnu (1945) and Jugnu (1947). Rafi made his mark with Tera Khilona Toota Balak in Anmol Ghari (1946).

Soon, he was spotted by composer Feroze Nizami who gave Rafi his first major hit Yaha badla wafa ka in the movie Amar Raj. K L Saigal and Pandit Paulsikar had no words for Rafi's praise. When Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, Rafi sang a song Suno suno ae duniya walon, Bapu ki yeh amar kahani written by Rajinder Krishan and music by Hunslal Bhagatram, which touched everyone and was a great hit.

Whenever there used be a fusion of Naushad's music, Shakeel Badayuni's lyrics and Rafi's voice, that number would become a super-duper hit. These three were quite a team then. Their songs were being heard in all corners of the streets. In fact, those songs are equally melodious now. Although Rafi worked with different music directors, the one who recognised and exploited his immense talent was Naushad. His first song for Naushad was Hindustan ke hum hain Hindustan hai hamara in the film Pehle Aap.

The duo went on to bring out hits in films such as Baiju Bawra and Mere Mehboob, to name a few. Rafi’s other fruitful partnership was with S D Burman for whom he delivered hits in movies such as Kagaz Ke Phool, Guide, Tere Ghar Ke Samne and Pyaasa. During the 1960s, Rafi began singing for Shammi Kapoor, rendering hits such as Kashmir Ki Kali, Brahmachari and Teesri Manzil. Some of his memorable songs were Baharon phool barsao for Rajendra Kumar and Pukarta chala hoon main for Biswajeet. Rafi also sang duets with Lata Mangeshkar, most of which were hits, including Dheere dheere chal, Tasveer teri dil mein and Tujhe jeevan ki dor se.

In his life time, Mohd Rafi has sung more than 26,000 superhit songs. Rafi won a host of awards including the National Rajat Kamal Award from President Sanjiva Reddy for his song Kya hua tera vaada in the film Hum Kissise Kum Nahin, the Filmfare Award for the song Chahoonga mein tujhe lekin from Dosti, and the Padmashri award.

His last song was Tu kahin aas paas hai dost for Laxmikant Pyarelal in the film Aas Paas. He passed away on July 31, 1980. His immortality is vouched for by the fact that even almost two decades after his death, his popularity remains intact.

============
Mohd. Rafi (1924-1980)
Few people will doubt that Mohd. Rafi was the greatest playback singer of all times. Today, 17 years after his death, he lives on eternally. His songs today are just as popular as they were during his lifetime.

Born on the 24th of December, 1924 in Kotla Sultanpur (now in Pakistan), Rafi received formal training in Hindusthani classical music from Ustad Khan Abdul Wahid Sahab. His first break into the world of films came in 1940 when he sang for the Punjabi film, "Gulbaloch". The song was the immensely popular "Suniye Hiriye ni, teri yaad ne bahut sataya ...". He was soon invited to Bombay where he arrived in 1944, to stay for the next 36 years as the "uncrowned king" of the world of music.

Versatility was Rafi's forte. It was said in Bombay's film industry that no one had heard of a music director saying that a particular song was not Rafi's type. He could sing any type of song effortlessly. From qawwalis (Parda hai parda, Hum kisi se kam nahin) to ghazals (Na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon), from semi-classicals (Madhuban mein Radhika naache re) to folk tunes (Nain lar jai hain), from patriotic songs (Hum layen hain toofan se, Aye watan aye watan) to songs that did not follow any rules (Ayaya karoon main kya sukusuku, Main jat jamla pagla diwana), from sad lamentations (Gham uthane ke liye) to fun songs (Sar jo tera chakraye) -- you name a situation and Rafisaab has sung an immortal song to suit it. And who can forget his "Suno suno re duniyawalon, Bapuji ki amar kahani" sung after the Mahatma's death? The whole nation cried with Rafi whose voice echoed the sadness of the great tragedy.

Rafisaab was not only a great singer, but a greater human being. He was a magnanimous person, who would often sing next to nothing for producers, who could not afford his price. He never refused to sing for any young music director, who had not established himself. In an environment filled with cut-throat maniacs, he relied completely on his own skills to establish himself. Unlike some great singers of his time, Rafisaab has never been accused of sabotaging the careers of upcoming singers to keep his own career afloat.

In 1965, he was awarded the Padma Shree by the Indian Government.

On July 31, 1980, during the holy month of Ramzan, the great man breathed his last. The date of his passing away was perhaps pre-ordained, for it is said that one who dies in the holy month goes to heaven. There was perhaps no person more deserving of that status than the pious and god-fearing Rafi, who never touched a drop of alcohol in his life, who never told a lie, who never had a harsh word for anyone, and who worshipped his work -- a man whose songs wiped away many a sorrowful tear from the eyes of those who were struggling under the burden of life, and brought tears of ecstatic joy to many more. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.