Kishore Kumar

Kishore Kumar (born as Abhas Kumar Ganguly (); 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of Indian music.
He was one of the most popular singers in the Indian subcontinent, notable for his yodeling and ability to sing songs in different voices. He used to sing in different genres but some of his rare compositions, considered classics, were lost in time. According to his brother and legendary actor Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar was successful as a singer because his "voice hits the mike, straight, at its most sensitive point".

Besides Hindi, he sang in many other Indian languages, including Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Malayalam, Odia and Urdu. He also released a few non-film albums in multiple languages, especially in Bengali, which are noted as all-time classics.

He won 8 Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and holds the record for winning the most Filmfare Awards in that category. He was awarded the Lata Mangeshkar Award by the Madhya Pradesh government in 1985.

In 1997, the Madhya Pradesh Government initiated an award called the "Kishore Kumar Award" for contributions to Hindi cinema. In 2012, his unreleased last song sold for 15.6 lakh at the Osian's Cinefan Auction in New Delhi.

Early life

Kishore Kumar was born in a Bengali Brahmin Ganguly family in Khandwa, Central Provinces (now in Madhya Pradesh) as Abhas Kumar Ganguly. His father, Kunjalal Ganguly (Gangopadhyay) was a lawyer and his mother, Gouri Devi came from a wealthy Bengali family and was a home-maker. Kunjalal Gangopadhyaya was invited by the Kamavisadar Gokhale family of Khandwa to be their personal lawyer. Kumar was the youngest of four siblings, the older three being Ashok (the eldest), Sati Devi, and Anoop.

While Kumar was still a child, his brother Ashok became an actor in Hindi cinema. Later, Anoop also ventured into cinema with Ashok's help. Kumar graduated from Christian College, Indore.

Early career

After Ashok Kumar became a star of Hindi films, the Ganguly family visited Bombay (now Mumbai) regularly. Abhas Kumar changed his name to 'Kishore Kumar' and started his cinema career as a chorus singer at Bombay Talkies, where his brother worked. Music director Khemchand Prakash gave Kumar a chance to sing "Marne Ki Duayen Kyon Mangu" for the film '' Ziddi'' (1948). After this, Kumar was offered many other assignments, but he was not very serious about a film career.Filmfare (1–15 November 1987) In 1949, he settled in Bombay.

During the initial stage of his career, Kumar was deeply inspired by singer K. L. Saigal and imitated his style of singing in some of his early films but later evolved his own, unique style. He had a great respect for poet and musician Rabindranath Tagore who influenced him in many ways.

He was an ardent admirer of Hollywood actor-singer Danny Kaye. He hung the portraits of all these three personalities at his ''Gouri Kun'' residence and would bow respectfully before them everyday as a rule.

In his later career, Kumar was also heavily influenced by playback singer Ahmed Rushdi and his liking towards Rushdi was to the extent that former paid a tribute at Royal Albert Hall in London to the latter by singing some of his songs.

Kumar employed yodeling in many of his songs including; ''Yeh dil na hota bechara'', ''Zindagi ek safar hai suhana'', and ''Chala jata hoon''. The style eventually became an essential feature of his singing and was inspired by Jimmie Rodgers and Tex Morton.

In the movie '' Half Ticket'', for one of the songs – "Aake Seedhi Lagi Dil Pe" – the music director Salil Chowdhary had a duet in mind and wanted Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar to sing the song. However, since Lata Mangeshkar was not in town and Salil Chowdhury had to record that song before she could return, Kumar solved the problem by singing both the male and female parts of the song himself. The duet is actually for Pran and Kumar on the screen dressed as a woman. It just turned out to be fine as he did admirably well singing both in male and female voices.

Music director S. D. Burman is credited with spotting Kumar's talent for singing. During the making of ''Mashaal'' (1950), Burman visited Ashok's house, where he heard Kumar imitating K. L. Saigal. He complimented him and told him that he should develop a style of his own, instead of copying Saigal. Kumar eventually developed his own style of singing, which featured yodeling, which he had heard on the records of Tex Morton and Jimmie Rodgers.S. D. Burman kept making Kishore sing for Dev Anand from the 50s to the early 70s. S. D. Burman provided him the training and encouraged Kumar a lot, especially in the late 50s and early 60s, resulting in Kumar developing into a great singer in the future years.

S. D. Burman recorded Kumar's voice for Dev Anand's '' Munimji'' (1954), '' Taxi Driver'' (1954), '' House No. 44'' (1955), '' Funtoosh'' (1956), '' Nau Do Gyarah'' (1957), '' Paying Guest'' (1957), '' Guide'' (1965), '' Jewel Thief'' (1967), '' Prem Pujari'' (1970), and '' Tere Mere Sapne'' (1971). He also composed music for Kumar's home production '' Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi'' (1958). Some of their songs were "Maana Janaab Ne Pukara Nahin" from '' Paying Guest'' (1957), "Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke" from '' Nau Do Gyarah'' (1957), "Ai Meri Topi Palat Ke Aa" from '' Funtoosh'' (1956), and "Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si" from '' Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi''. Asha Bhosle and Kishore performed duets composed by Burman including "Chhod Do Aanchal" from '' Paying Guest'' (1957), "Ankhon Mein Kya Ji" from '' Nau Do Gyarah'' (1957), "Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka" and "Paanch Rupaiya Baara Aana" from '' Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi'' (1958) and "Arre Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Gajab" from '' Teen Deviyan'' (1965).

As a singer, Kumar's work with many music directors in this period includes "Ye Raatein Ye Mausam" and "Hum Toh Mohabbat Karega" from '' Dilli Ka Thug'', "Piya Piya Mora Jiya" from '' Baap Re Baap'', "Hello Hello Ji" from ''Bombay Ka Chor'', "Micheal Hai Toh Cycle Hai" from ''Bewaqoof'', "Ae Haseeno Nazneeno" from ''Chacha Zindabad'', "Zaroorat Hai Zaroorat Hai" from ''Manmauji'' (1961), "Likha Hai Teri Ankhon Mein" from ''Teen Deviaan'', "Suno Jaana Suno Jaana", "Pyaar Baatke Chalo" and "Kya Teri Zulfein Hai" from ''Hum Sab Ustaad Hai'', "Khoobsurat Haseena" from ''Mr. X in Bombay'', "Gaata Rahe Mera Dil" from '' Guide'' (1965), "Sultana Sultana" from ''Shreeman Funtoosh'', "Machalti Hui" from ''Ganga Ki Lahren'', "Mera Dil Meri Jaan" and "Pyar Ka Jaahan Hotel" from ''Jaalsaaz'' and "Yeh Dil Na Hota Bechara" from '' Jewel Thief'' (1967).

Music director C. Ramchandra

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