Veteran singer Asha Bhosle once addressed the long-standing criticism that she and her sister Lata Mangeshkar dominated the Hindi film music industry, a claim often described as a ‘monopoly’. In a frank and no-nonsense response, Asha dismissed the notion, suggesting it was more a matter of perception than reality.At a time when debates around equal opportunities in the industry were intensifying, Asha questioned why such accusations were directed specifically at them. Drawing parallels with other professions, she highlighted how longevity and sustained success are rarely scrutinised in the same way elsewhere.“A few years ago, there was an uproar. Monopoly. Now you tell me, Tata Birla’s cars are coming out, Tata Birla’s factories are running, three generations are running every year. Who calls them monopoly? Dilip Kumar has been working for 50-60 years. Who calls him monopoly? Why it is just for Asha and Lata? Why did monopoly happen just like that?
I feel, the people who are evil, they have a habit of saying something. And they do speak. The truth is, our lines are not for anyone. They are only for work. If you sing well, they will let you speak. If your voice is a little off, they will never let you speak. These lines don’t work on relations. That’s why I say, when people speak, we should stop this topic of monopoly. It’s all over. It wasn’t there then, and it’s not there now. I feel, people will say something. Kuch toh log kahenge logonk…” For Asha Bhosle, the idea of success was never about influence or control, but about consistency, skill, and delivering quality. She maintained that if composers and audiences continued to favour certain voices, it was simply because those voices met the expectations and demands of the craft.
