When a young Kishore Kumar, in his initial days, didn’t get much support for his singing career except from SD Burman and Dev Anand, he did not lose heart.
The unstoppable Kishore Kumar instead decided to compose music and create his own space.
He not only composed innumerable classics but also got the best of the industry to sing for him.
That stalwarts like Hemanta Mukherjee, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey and Mohammad Rafi agreed to sing for him speaks volumes for his credibility and the respect he commanded from them.
If Kishore Kumar did not go on to become a legendary singer, today we would have remembered him as one of the best composers the country ever had.
My Kolkata pays tribute to the one-man industry on his death anniversary.
The range of his creations was diverse — from peppy western, devotional bhajans, qawwalis, classical melody songs and eastern classical.
He was hugely influenced by KL Saigal, Rabindranath Tagore, Danny Kaye, Ahmed Rushdi, Frank Sinatra and uncle Dhananjay Banerjee.
Being musically untrained (probably) helped him create his own grammar.
Let’s take the flashback route to look at a few songs which demonstrate his depth and variety as a composer…
'Thandi hawa yeh chandni'
This is an adaptation of Julius La Rosa’s Domani which Kishore himself sang in Jhumroo (1961). With 11 super hit compositions, this film marked the arrival of Kishore Kumar, the composer.
'O jag ke rakhawale' and 'Raahi tu ruk mat jaana'
Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964) was a super hit film from his stable that earned accolades from one and all. While Manna Dey rendered the bhajan (first one), Hemanta Kumar sang the evergreen melody.
'Ae haseeno nazneeno'
Kishore sang for himself along with Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar in Hum Do Daaku (1967). The song was a hit even as the film tanked.
Panthi hoon main
Kishore sang this song for himself, playing an eternal journeyman in Door Ka Raahi (1971). Listening to this number, one may feel that it has been stitched from Tagore’s songs.
'Kisne yahan kisko jana' and 'Naa ro ae mere dil'
'Kisne yahan kisko jana' YouTube
Songs for Zameen Aasman (1972) were super hit. While Asha Bhonsle sang the first one, a western tune in her inimitable way, the legendary Lata Mangeshkar did justice to the second one full of pathos.
'Na Ro Ae Mere Dil' YouTube
'Badhti ka naam dadhi'
The title track was a casting coup as Mohd Rafi, Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar had a blast. Incidentally, Bappi Lahiri made his debut as actor-singer in this movie in 1974.
'Daur-e-kizaan tha dil ke chaman me'
Amit Kumar sang this song in Shabaash Daddy (1979). The same tune was used in the famous bangla number Amar Moner Ei Mayur Mahal E, sung by the maestro himself.
Little-known Shankar Das rendered this energetic qawwali in the film Chalti Ka Naam Zindagi (1982) which was well received by the audience.
Amit Kumar sang this classical raga-based number in Kishore’s last production Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein (1989).
