{"id":2049,"date":"2015-08-04T00:00:26","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T18:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=2049"},"modified":"2017-08-04T08:45:05","modified_gmt":"2017-08-04T03:15:05","slug":"amit-kumar-remembers-kishore-kumar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/amit-kumar-remembers-kishore-kumar\/","title":{"rendered":"Kishore Kumar, The Master of his Craft – Amit Kumar Remembers his ‘Baba’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pictures used in this article are courtesy the Facebook profiles of Amit Kumar and Pancham Unmixed, madanmohan,in, sdburman.net and Internet – only for reference purposes)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Amit

Amit Kumar and Sumeet Kumar in one of their shows (Pic courtesy: Amit Kumar<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

Amit Kumar had visited Toronto, Canada in 2009 to give a public performance. He was accompanied by his wife Rima and daughter Muktika and also Sumit Kumar, his brother. They arrived at the venue about half an hour prior to the show and were seated in an enclosed area. On my request, the organisers introduced me to them. After the show I drove them to their hotel and spent the next full day with them, entertaining them and talking about everything I had in mind. We had lunch and dinner together and even watched a movie.<\/p>\n

Among the many things we discussed, we spoke about extensively about his legendary father Kishore Kumar. The immortal singer, composer, actor, director, comic, producer… a multi-faceted phenomenal powerhouse of talent who regaled audiences when he lived and continues to fascinate music and movie buffs to this day.<\/p>\n

Just like all children who watch their father go to work each morning and return home, but know very little about their father\u2019s work, so was it with Amit Kumar. Many a questions I had about Kishore, the singer, the actor, the music and movie maker and its\u2019 history, found no answers with Amit. Apparently, Kishore as a father, did not discuss his work at home. We talked in Bengali and Hindi and I have translated into English excerpts from those conversations that happened through the course of the day.<\/p>\n

His Idols and Mentors<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Kishore

He was good in playing the piano, though he never learnt it, but could play the inversions quite well. The compositions from films like Jhumroo, Door Gagan, Door ka Rahi<\/em>, were mostly composed on this piano which he brought from Switzerland… and the “Shirt” which he is wearing was named after him as “The Kishore Kumar Shirt”. It became a “trend setter” towards the end of the “Fifties”. (Pic and caption courtesy: Amit Kumar<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

On a question as to whom did Kishore Kumar hold in highest esteem, Amit said, there were three personalities that he had the highest \u2018shraddha\u2019 (reverence) for. He used to regard them as God literally. About one everyone knows \u2013 Kundan Lal Saigal. \u00a0The second person was Masterji (Khemchand Prakash). Baba used to say he made me a singer. And the next one was Sachin Dev Burman. Baba used to say, Masterji made me a singer but Burman da polished me and made me shine. Whatever I am today, I owe it to him. The photographs of these three people always remained in his room, recalled Amit.<\/p>\n

Elaborating on each Amit explained, whenever on his own, Kishore Kumar would sit on piano and sing K L Saigal\u2019s songs and this happened very frequently. He would even ask Amit to pay attention at particular points of the song and say, try it, you will not be able to do it this way. In the early years, recalled Amit, he shrugged it off thinking that like all the older generation people his father had a Saigal fixation and paid no heed. But, gradually it caught his attention. His father was asking him to practice these for a reason, for therein lay many great lessons on how to perform a song, a notation, an emphasis, a turn in tune, a murki<\/em>, how to handle a gap, where to breathe, and many more such intricacies. There were many Saigal songs that he practiced singing with his father, and yet could never master them as they are truly tough renditions by a timeless maestro.
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Anil Biswas had told me KL Saigal was the only singer on whose basic scale rendition, the entire lot of accompanying instruments were set to tune. So perfect was his vocal madhyam, gandhar<\/em> or shadaj<\/em> that once he sang it out, all musicians would set their instruments to tune. Every other singer always does it the\u00a0other way or the opposite way, to set their vocal on taanpura<\/em> or harmonium<\/em>. That is why KL Saigal was great and so well respected.<\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Kishore Kumar referred to Khemchand Prakash as Masterji. It was this great music director who gave Kishore a break and taught him the first basics of a film song. Not only with him, these sessions had Lata Mangeshkar participating and learning as well.\u00a0 The throw of the voice into a recording microphone, how to stay in tandem with the beat while singing a tune, how to accommodate a co-singer in a duet, how to recognize cues to pick and start a line, were some of the things that Kishore Kumar learnt from Masterji.<\/p>\n

\"Kishore

Kishore Kumar with Asha Bhonsle, SD Burman and Vijay Anand<\/strong><\/a> (Pic courtesy: Hamara Photos)<\/p><\/div>\n

Regarding Sachin Dev Burman, he would raise his hands heaven wards and say, though Masterji introduced him to films, but his entire career was designed, fathomed and successfully crafted and created by SD Burman. Without SD Burman there would have been no Kishore Kumar. At every step, SD Burman had more faith in Kishore Kumar\u2019s capability than the singer himself. There were many such songs that Kishore Kumar was wary of singing but SDB\u2019s faith and guidance steered the way. Taking a cue from SDB, other music directors also used Kishore Kumar in their films. It was SDB\u2019s support and love and Kishore Kumar\u2019s partnering with Dev Anand that really kept Kishore Kumar alive in the Hindi film world.<\/p>\n

While we were on Kishore Kumar-SD Burman, I asked Amit if he knew what had gone wrong between the years 1958\/59 to 1965 that Kishore Kumar did not record with SD Burman. Amit said he had no knowledge of it and that his father never spoke about it either. Also, during those years Amit was in Calcutta with his mother, Ruma Devi.<\/p>\n

\"Amit

The little Amit Kumar with his illustrious parents – Kishore Kumar and Ruma Devi (Pic courtesy: Amit Kumar<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n

Not many people know that Kishore Kumar\u2019s home production \u201cSuhana Geet<\/em>\u201d starring Madhubala had also remained unfinished although a couple of songs of the film are available on YouTube. Asked about this film Amit said he did not have knowledge about it. He said there were five or six such films that Baba had launched and made some songs for, but for some reason or the other they were not completed.\u00a0 For Suhana Geet<\/em> he guessed it must have been owing to Madhubala ji\u2019s ill health and death. But, he had seen the songs on internet too.<\/p>\n

Only Kishore could sing them this way<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Pancham

RD Burman and Kishore Kumar (Pic courtesy: Pancham Unmixed)<\/p><\/div>\n

Kishore Kumar had a knack and expertise in delivering songs in a way that they sounded like no other singer could perform the song that way, as if these songs were created for him only.\u00a0 Amit immediately agreed to my observation and said, \u201cYes, that was Baba\u2019s biggest quality. He would sing it in a way that it always appeared as if it was made for him only.\u201d Amit said this technique was also taught by SD Burman<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. The senior Burman used to emphasise that you must sound unique and different, so adopt the song in a way as if it is your own and shape it, mould it, deliver it in your unique style. That is what will leave a lasting impression. \u201cThis advice Baba followed all through his career. He became a champion at it, a master of this craft,\u201d said Amit.<\/p>\n

There are numerous songs that we can recall in this category. I mentioned a few and Amit added a few, a very impressive list. Listing a few common favorites that are uniquely Kishore Kumar rendition:<\/p>\n

\"S

S D Burman, V. Balsara, Bhupinder Singh and Kishore Kumar<\/p><\/div>\n

– Khwaab ho tum ya koi haqeeqat kaun ho tum batalao<\/em> (Teen Deviyan<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/a>)
\n– Phoolon ke rang se dil ki kalam se tujhko likhi roz paati<\/em> (Prem Pujari<\/em>)
\n– Hum bewafa hargiz na the, par hum wafa kar na sake<\/em> (Shalimar<\/em>)
\n– Kahan tak ye man ko andhere chhallengey <\/em>(Baton Baton Mein<\/em>)
\n– Mere mehboob qayamat hogi, aaj ruswa terei galiyon mein mohabbat hogi<\/em> ( X in Bombay<\/em>)
\n– Sachhai chhup nahi sakti banawat ke usulon se<\/em> (Dushman<\/em>)
\n– Tum kitni khubsoorat ho, ye mere dil se puchho<\/em> (Jungle Mein Mangal<\/em>)
\n– Bhanware ki gunjan hai mera dil<\/em> (Kal Aaj aur Kal<\/em>)
\n– Dil aaj shair hai gham aaj naghma hai, shab ye ghazal hai sanam<\/em> (Gambler<\/em>)
\n– Hey nigahen mastana, dekh sama hai suhana<\/em> (Paying Guest<\/em>)
\n– Jeevan ke safar mein raahi<\/em> (Munimjee<\/em>)
\n– Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaate hain jo makam<\/em> (Aap Ki Kasam<\/em>)
\n– Zindagi ka safar, hai ye kaisa safar<\/em> (Safar<\/em>)
\n– Sagar kinare dil ye pukare tu jo nahin to mera<\/em> (Sagar<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Amit paused to add, that it is not that these numbers could not be performed well by Rafi Saheb or Manna Da, but no one can imagine these songs by anyone else other than Kishore Kumar. That was his unique delivery.<\/p>\n

Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaate hain jo makaam<\/strong><\/em> (Aap Ki Kasam<\/em>, 1974) – RD Burman \/ Anand Bakshi \/ Kishore Kumar. RD Burman used a variety of instruments in this composition, reflecting the change of seasons, the passage of time and haunting memories. Kishore Kumar sang with all his heart and soul. Pure class!<\/span>.<\/p>\n