Thursday 14 July 2016

Kishore Kumar: A Pictorial Biography Part 1

( Disclaimer: This is by no means an original work. I have only compiled all the information from various sources available on internet & from books. The playlists are however of my choice.Then why do this? Well, because of my love for the singer who has given me immense joy & happiness through his songs. This is my way of paying him a tribute...) 


 

Born: 4th August 1929                                    Death: 13th October 1987



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 Birth Place-

  
Born in Khandwa Madhya Pradesh, Kishore Kumar used to introduce himself in his
live concerts as Kishore Kumar Khandwawala.
This is the house-“Gauri-Kunj’ where he was born on 4th August 1929 at around 4 pm.




The house is now in a dilapidated state…


Family-



Three Brothers with their mother-
From left-Anup Kumar (Real name-Kusum), Ashok Kumar (Real name- Kumud) & Kishore Kumar (Real name-Aabhas Kumar). There was a sister too- Sati Devi.

Ashok was 19 years elder to Kishore, Sati Devi was 15 years older & Anup was 5 years older.

His Father was a lawyer earning around Rs.30/pm at that time & mother came from a wealthy family.
Kishore Kumar’s Father died in 1962 & Mother in 1974.


Childhood-



Kishore Kumar went to -Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi Primary School.
                                           -New High School, Khandwa.
                                           -Christian College, Indore.

His way of studying  ....Singing the lessons to his tunes!

Early Career-

Kishore Kumar used to sing for his parents and they would give him money as a small token. His father often asked him to sing Ashok Kumar's song from the movie Achhut Kanya.(Main ban ki chidya .. bolun re..). While Kishore was still a child, Ashok Kumar became a popular Bollywood actor. (Later, Anoop Kumar also ventured into cinema with the help of Ashok Kumar). Spending time with his brothers, Kishore also started to take a keen interest in movies and music. Kishore was good at imitating and this was near to perfect when it came to singing K.L.Saigal's songs. K.L.Saigal turned out to be his mentor and meeting him was his wish at the top of his mind. Sadly, the meeting with Saigal did not take place, for Saigal passed away soon after Kishore's arrival in Mumbai. 
After Ashok Kumar became a Bollywood star, the Ganguly family used to visit 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.
His first film as an actor was Shikari (1946), in which Ashok Kumar played the lead role. Ashok Kumar thought it was best for Kishore to try and pick up acting by initially doing small roles in films and he also considered that just singing was not lucrative as acting. Kishore knew that he was not cut out to do the romantic hero. He felt was just an ordinary looking person. In his heart, Kishore resolved to try and pursue a singing career, which he was confident about. He was rejected many times on the pretext of "Your voice is no good; us mein woh cheez nahin hai.'

He was offered a small role in the movie Ziddi and it happened in the making of this movie. 
 


Music director Khemchand Prakash heard Kishore Kumar sing and was impressed. He told Ashok Kumar that the boy (Kishore) had a future as a singer. Khemchand went ahead and gave a song to Kishore who executed it in a typical Saigal style… .

Marne ki duayen Kyon maangon....
What impressed Khemchand was the skill with which Kishore held the tune. 
After this, Kishore Kumar got many other assignments, but he was not very serious about a film career. In 1949, he decided to settle in Mumbai.
Kishore Kumar in film Andolan

Kishore Kumar played hero in the Bombay Talkies film Andolan (1951), directed by Phani Majumdar, though his first lead role was in Sati Vijay -1948.Although Kishore Kumar got some assignments as an actor with help of his brother, he was more interested in becoming a singer. 


Music director S. D. Burman is credited with spotting Kishore Kumar's talent as a singer, and advancing his singing career. During the making of Mashaal (1950), Burman visited Ashok Kumar's house, where he heard Kishore imitating K. L. Saigal in his bathroom. When he was told who was singing, he decided to wait and meet Kishore. He complimented Kishore, but also told him that he should develop a style of his own, instead of copying Saigal. In his own words 'Saigal is undoubtedly a great singer, but there not much sense in imitating him; a singer needs to have a distinct style that is his own.' Kishore Kumar did not have a formal training in music. He kept Burman's advice in mind, and eventually developed his own style of singing, which featured the yodeling that he had heard on some records of Jimmie Rodgers bought by his brother Anoop Kumar.

S.D. Burman had given Kishore an opportunity to sing for Raj Kapoor in Pyar (1950). Kishore now approached S.D. Burman for more singing work. And the song Qusoor Aapka in Bahar (1951) became a raging hit. "
 

He starred in Bimal Roy's Naukri (1954)  
 
and    
Hrishikesh Mukherjee's directorial debut  Musafir (1957).
 

Salil Chowdhury, the music director for Naukri was initially dismissive of him as a singer, when he came to know that Kishore Kumar didn't have any formal training in music. However, after hearing his voice, he gave him the song Chhota sa ghar hoga, which was supposed to be sung by Hemant Kumar.

Initially, music directors like S.D. Burman gave Kishore light, less demanding songs. But his soulful rendering of Dukhi Man Mere in the 1956 film, Funtoosh brought about a change in perceptions about his singing ability. Kishore’s singing talent now came to be taken seriously.


 3 Brothers in a Comedy-

The 1958 comedy Chalti ka Naam Gaadi became one of the biggest hits of Kishore Kumar’s career. Directed by Satyen Bose, the film starred the three Ganguly brothers and Madhubala. Kishore and Madhubala complemented each other brilliantly while S.D. Burman compositions like Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka, Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si and Paanch Rupaiya Barah Anna became evergreen classics.



The car Kishore used in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi was Ford and his father bought this car.
 


Cast

§  Kishore Kumar - Manmohan 'Manu' Sharma
§  Ashok Kumar - Brijmohan Sharma
§  Anoop Kumar - Jagmohan 'Jaggu' Sharma
§  Madhubala - Renu
§  K.N. Singh - Raja Hardayal Singh
§  Cuckoo - Dancer/Singer
§  Helen - Dancer/Singer
§  Veena - Kamini
§  Mohan Choti - Maujiya
§  Sajjan - Prakashchand
§  Sahira - Sheela



Versatility-
Kishore Kumar wrote story and acted in the film Jhumroo (1961). He was also the music director for the film.
 


Later, he produced and directed the film Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964). He also wrote the script and composed music for the film. The film is based on the relationship between a father (Kishore Kumar), and his deaf and mute son (played by his real-life son, Amit Kumar).He made another two films as a director called Door Ka Rahi (1971) and Door Waadiyon Mein Kahin (1980)- which was a film without any songs!

His first film as producer was Looko Choori- a Bengali 1958, Black & White Feature Film
Cast: Kishore Kumar, Mala Sinha, Bipin Gupta, Anita Guha, Anoop Kumar, Nripati Chatterjee
Director: Kamal Majumdar
Music Director: Hemant Kumar .With unforgettable Bengali
Film Song Classics by Hemanta Mukherjee, Kishore Kumar and Ruma Debi. The movie went on to be a golden jubilee hit & helped him to construct a bungalow in Juhu area in those days. His last film as producer, director & music director was –Mamta ki Chhaon mein.
  
As Director
Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein (1990)  
Door Wadiyon Mein Kahin (1982)  
Chalti Ka Naam Zindagi (1981) 
Shabash Daddy (1979) 
Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974) 
Door Ka Raahi (1971) 
Hum Do Daku (1967) 
Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964) 
 Kishore Kumar in Door ka Rahi


As Lyricist
Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein (1990)
Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974)
Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964)
Jhumroo (1961) 

As Music Director
Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein (1990)
Chalti Ka Naam Zindagi (1981)
Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974)
Zameen Aasman (1972)
Door Ka Raahi (1971)
Films in which Kishore acted and which were silver jubilees.- Ladki, Adhikar, Pehli Taarikh, New Delhi, Ilzaam, Chandan, Sharaarat, Bewaqoof, Pyaar Kiye Ja.
Looko Churi, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Bhai Bhai & Asha were Golden Jubilees.

                                                             (to be Continued..)

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