Q&A WITH ASHA BHOSLE

EVEN AS ASHA BHOSLE ADAPTS TO THE LOCKDOWN BY RECORDING NEW SONGS FOR HER RECENTLY-LAUNCHED YOUTUBE CHANNEL, SHE SUGGESTS CHANGE MUST HAVE ITS LIMITS AND WE SHOULD LEAVE THE CLASSICS ALONE

You are entering the world of YouTube at 86. What made you sign up now?

During this lockdown, I had more time to spend with my grandchildren and I noticed how internet-savvy they were. My granddaughter, Zanai, started her own YouTube channel and I was amazed at how she made a music track which she sang, filmed and edited and added titles to herself. Here was this 18-year-old girl who was single-handedly doing the work of several experienced professionals. I was hooked. She told me I

should be doing the same because I had so much more to tell. So, I asked her to show me the ropes and decided to launch my own YouTube channel.

Apart from music, you will also share anecdotes from your life. Why choose YouTube and not a book? I prefer telling my anecdotes

through conversations rather than a book. This is the new visual age. The internet has given us immense power to transmit our thoughts; it’s best to use this medium.

You have said that you are all for “new tunes, lyrics and songs”. What are your views on the craze for remixes? Certain songs are classics. Classic is a name given to something that is everlasting, so if a song is everlasting in its original form, why disturb it? The minute you disturb it, the

entire concept behind calling it a classic is defeated.

How has the lockdown been for you so far?

I am practising singing, keeping fit through yoga breathing techniques and recording songs for the PM-CARES fund for my YouTube channel. Nature has made us value our family and enjoy simpler things in life. This pandemic has levelled the playing field. We are all in it together and the only way we will survive is by helping each other.

—with Suhani Singh