Born into a Mumbai-based Maharashtrian family, Sudesh Bhonsle had seen the film world from a very young age. His father N. Bhosle was a banner artist of repute in the industry while his mother Suman Bhosle was a classical singer with the All India Radio. Having inherited the knowledge of both these arts from his parents, Sudesh Bhonsle helped his father paint the film banners on the one hand and singing in college functions and festivals on the other.
At the behest of his friends he also honed his skills at mimicry, which he was known for among them. He enrolled himself into a stage orchestral group when still at college, where he both sang and did mimicry. He also groomed himself as a singer under Pandit Satyanarayan Misra and composer Kalyanji of the Kalyanji-Anandji fame.
Singer Asha Bhonsle once heard him sing at a concert - he had perfectly immitated R.D. Burman in his performance. She requested him to tape the song in his voice, which she promptly showed to an awestruck Burman. He was immediately signed in for Burman’s film “Zalzala” (1988) for a holy song to be sung along with Shailendra Singh and Anuradha Paudwal, where he was to sing as well as mimic the voices of Shatrughan Sinha and Jagdeep! His next was a tribute to Kishore Kumar - a song from the film “Waqt Ki Awaz” (1988). It was when he started singing playback for Amitabh Bachchan that he was really recognised. In fact, while recording for “Ajooba” (1989) and later “Hum” (1991), especially the song “Jumma Chumma De De” from the latter film, Amitabh Bachchan is said to have personally complimented the singer. Some of the other songs that he sung for Amitabh Bachchan, which also went on to become popular, includes “Dil Mera Sona” (“Major Saab”, 1998), “Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan” (“Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan”, 1998), “Meri Makhna” (“Baghban”, 2003) and many more. Also, like a devoted Kishore Kumar fan, he produced the show “K For Kishore” on television and was also a resident judge on it.
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