Asha Bhosle with her grandson Chin2; Pic by Subhabrata Das

Asha Bhosle isn’t planning to slow the tempo in the near future. At 76, she’s raring to go and has just burst on the music scene with something new yet again. In keeping with the spirit of the Pujas, not only is she back to singing Bengali songs after some 15 years, she’s also just out with a zippy rock-and-roll Hindi song. What’s more, she’s belted out foot-tapping numbers with English superstar Robbie Williams in his soon-to-be-released album, Reality Killed the Video Star. Clearly, there are no full-stops in Bhosle’s life.

If you enjoyed her Puja releases in the past, she’s going to be treating you to them in the future as well — beginning with the just released Mone Rekho. This is a compilation of Bengali songs scored by Bengali film music composer Babul Bose. Says Bose: “She can make a seemingly ordinary tune sound extraordinary.”

Bhosle and Chin2 in a music video from the album Sapnay Suhane; Pic by Asha Audio

Sitting in her youngest son Anand Bhosle’s apartment in Mumbai, Bhosle is in a chatty mood. She’s excited about her new release, Sapnay Suhane, a Hindi rock-and-roll album. This one’s special as in it she’s sung a duet with none other than her grandson Chin2, an adman-turned-musician. She’s also made an appearance in the music video of the song.

“I wanted him to compose something for me that would be challenging and very different to sing,” she says. So while it’s a rock-and-roll number, it has varied influences from World Music.

Bhosle has launched a Bengali album, Mone Rekho, after 15 years; Pic by Asha Audio

Music isn’t her only love. She ably manages to keep an eye on the chain of restaurants that she endorses. Simply called Asha’s, the Wafi Group run restaurants are doing brisk business in the Middle East. The restaurant brand (which runs on franchises in London) will soon open in Mumbai. “I love to be in the kitchen pounding masalas and spices,” she says. Twice a year she sends freshly ground masalas to all the restaurants.

Thoughts of retiring from the music scene don’t figure on her agenda. On the cards is an album of Rabindrasangeet lined up for release next year as well as a second album with Chin2, work on which will begin soon. Says Bhosle: “God willing, some day I will sing with Chin2’s children too.”