From Rasna to Hindustan Lever: How Asha Bhosle’s jingles revolutionised the ad industry

Veteran playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away on Sunday, bringing to a close a career that spanned more than seven decades and reshaped the contours of Indian music. She was 92. 

Known for her extraordinary versatility across film music, ghazals and pop, Bhosle’s voice also left an imprint on India’s early advertising landscape, particularly during the golden era of radio and television jingles.

At a time when brands were beginning to invest in sonic identity, Bhosle was among the few celebrated playback singers who lent her voice to commercial communication, elevating jingles beyond functional messaging into memorable musical pieces.

One of her most cited advertising works remains the Himalaya Bouquet toilet soap and talcum powder campaign for Hindustan Lever. The jingle “Phool Ke Samman Hai,” written by Jan Nisar Akhtar and composed by Ravi, stood out for its poetic tone and melodic richness, reflecting the product’s positioning around softness and fragrance.

Decades later, Bhosle returned to the advertising space with the “Rasila rozana utsav” jingle for Rasna in 2002. The campaign tapped into nostalgia while reinforcing Rasna’s image as a family favourite, with Bhosle’s familiar voice adding recall value across generations.

Industry observers note that during the 1970s through the early 2000s, advertising jingles in India often drew from the film music ecosystem, with composers and singers collaborating on short-format compositions that required both immediacy and memorability. Bhosle’s ability to adapt her vocal style to concise, brand-led storytelling made her a natural fit for this format.

Beyond advertising, Bhosle’s contribution to Indian music remains unparalleled, with thousands of recordings across languages and genres. 

Bhosle was the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest honour in cinema, recognising her lifetime contribution to the film industry. She was also honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian award, cementing her stature as a cultural icon.

Over the course of her career, she won multiple National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer honours for songs across languages, reflecting her versatility and command over diverse musical styles. In addition, she received several Filmfare Awards, after which she voluntarily stepped back from competition, allowing younger talent to be recognised, a move often cited as reflective of her standing within the industry.

Her global recognition was equally significant. Bhosle earned nominations at the Grammy Awards for her collaborations, including the critically acclaimed album Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. She also received international lifetime achievement honours and was celebrated in concerts across the UK, US, Middle East and Southeast Asia, where she enjoyed a massive diaspora following.

Her passing marks the loss of a voice that not only defined playback singing but also contributed to the evolution of India’s advertising soundscape.