KISHORE KUMAR is arguably the most multifaceted talent Bollywood has ever produced. What wasn't he ? An actor, director, music director all blended together a la the finest of blended Scotch Whiskies. Oh, did I forget something ? He was too a singer, par excellence.
It is said that when he was in penury in 1968 and wanted to retire to his native Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, another famous Music Director dad-son duo, SD and RD Burman who still had faith in Kishore persuaded him to sing in the movie ARADHANA. Rest we know is history, for he never looked back and ruled the male playback singer arena of Bollywood so much so that in next few years connoisseur singers like Mohd Rafi and Mukesh struggled to find songs.
He had the audacity to defy the all powerful Sanjay Gandhi, the son of then Prime minister Indira Gandhi at the time of emergency by refusing to sing for him at a Congress rally. Kishore was promptly banned by the ever sycophant I&B minister V. C. Shukla in All India Radio, the soul source of entertainment for the Indian mass in the days when Black and White TV was only restricted to a few metros.
But good sense prevailed and the film industry lobbied hard to get the ban lifted. When Kishore Kumar died in October, 1987 the teenage me scrambled two popular English newspapers available in Odisha that time, Times of India and The Telegraph for any tribute to this legendary singer. Couple of them caught my eyes and were apt enough to describe him "The eccentric genius " and "The last of the Originals".
Eccentric he was, as he was known to play football in college wearing suit, tie and boot. When he was an actor once he came to the sets with half of his head and moustache shaven in order to drive his point of being paid only half the remuneration he was promised. He used to sleep in a bed surrounded by a pool of water, watching horror movies late into night. Per Yogita Bali, one of his many wives Kishore used to count and recount money all night long. Their marriage lasted barely a couple of years.
And Original he was, along with both Mukesh and Rafi, his contemporaries died before him in their early 50s. Kishore lived a little longer and died when he was 58. Non of the original troika lived long, died before touching 60 years of age. Probably vindicating the popular saying that "GANDHARVAS" (Fairies with musical abilities per Hindu Mythology) are reborn as geniuses in the field of art and music. But they leave early after living a short life making immense contribution and leaving their mark.
When his son Amit Kumar won an award for the best singer for his songs in movie LOVE STORY in 1981, rumors broke out that Kishore Kumar, the unquestionable King of Bollywood music at the time prevailed upon the judges influencing the award in this son's favor. When Amit Kumar told the same to his famous dad, Kishore Kumar retorted back
"BETA, KUCHH TO LOG KAHENGE,
LOGON KA KAAM HAI KEHNA.
TUM SOOR MEIN GAATE HI REHNA".
(Son, people will always say something,
It's their job to talk about others.
Following the tune, you keep on singing).
One of Kishore's unfulfilled wishes was to produce an album of English songs, which could have been a fitting finale to a befitting career. But it was never to be as he suffered fatal cardiac arrest one fine fall morning of 1987. HAPPY 93rd BIRTHDAY to KISHORE KUMAR. I doubt we will ever see someone like you in our lifetime.
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