Happy Birthday- Why Kishore Kumar Was The Out Of The Box Singer

Gloom enveloped the world economy as markets tanked in 1929. Wall Street had collapsed and the Great Depression was declared officially. Elsewhere in the world, the BBC TV was launched formally.

Back home in India, there was the clarion call of Purna Swaraj at the Lahore session of the Congress. It was a momentous decision for Indians to strive for freedom and become suzerains by their volition and their own right.

Amidst all this cacophony, there were strains of harmony and symphony. Lata Mangeshkar, the mellifluous singer was born on 28 September 1929, in Indore and the euphonious songster Kishore Kumar arrived on 4 August that very year in Khandwa. Thus present day Madhya Pradesh has the unique distinction of becoming the cradle to two prominent, legendary and fabled singers of Indian cinema.

Kishore Kumar was born into a Bengali Brahmin family. His father, Kunjalal Ganguly was an estimable lawyer and mother Gouri Devi hailed from an opulent family.

Kishore Da, as he was affectionately referred to, was the youngest of four siblings. His oldest brother was the consummate trouper, Ashok Kumar who essayed riveting roles that fired the imagination of millions of Indians. Anup, another brother too forayed into tinsel world but with not much success. Sati Devi was the only sister.

Kishore Kumar was literally coerced to don the greasepaint and act, by his older sibling Ashok Kumar. But perhaps acting was not in his blood and he was to give a string of flops. In fact it is estimated that as many as 16 of his first 22 movies bombed at the box office. His maiden foray in front of the camera was in the film Andolan directed by Phani Mazumdar in 1951.

Kishore’s heart beat to be the mellifluent voice behind the actor. He was not a trained classical singer, yet this amazing talent immortalised innumerable songs which are crooned to this day.

This multifaceted artiste got his maiden opportunity to sing in the movie Ziddi, aeons ago in the year 1948. This opportunity to sing the song, ‘Marne Ki Duayen Kyon Mangoon’ was provided by music director Khemchand Prakash.

Kishore Kumar was enormously dexterous; he could seamlessly render any kind of song, without any formal training in the field of music. He was a trouper, script writer, lyricist, producer and director and possessed Mandrake like magic to conjure a plethora of tricks on the legion of his fans.

The talented playback singer was blessed with a soulful voice which enabled him to enrich the world of music through comic, melancholic, patriotic numbers and besides haunting romantic songs. “Humain Tumse Pyaar Kitna” left an indelible impression on the minds of cinema goers; “Aane wala Pal” from the movie Gol Mal, composed by RD Burman, resonates in the minds of listener’s to this day.