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Journalism of Courage
ALL his life and illustrious career, Kishore Kumar defied any kind of pigeonholing. Considered to be one of the greatest Indian artistes, he had amazing command over playback singing; made yodelling look easy; and, when on stage, captivated his audience with his livewire performance. Yet, this creative genius was much more than that. He was an incomparable comedian, music composer, producer, writer, lyricist and director. Famously unpredictable, he was known for his quirky behaviour and pranks.
Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography, written by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar, painstakingly put together details of the legendary actor-singer’s life. Their deep love for Kumar is evident from the trivia about him they have managed to pack in the biography. Tracing his early life, they dedicate a considerable number of pages to his childhood in Khandwa — the singer remained attached to his birthplace in Madhya Pradesh throughout his life — and his initial brush with music. Those were the days when he idolised KL Saigal but would sing behind a ghoonghat on his friends’ insistence since he was painfully shy. In fact, though he was known for his boisterous performances on stage in later years, he often battled with stage fright.
The account of his formative years offers insight into his yearning for Khandwa — which he informally made a part of his identity on screen and off it. In conversations, he would refer to himself as “Khandwawala“. In the movie Bombay Ka Chor (1962), his character says: “Mera naam Kanan Gopal Khandwawala, jahan se Kishore Kumar aaya tha”. Before his death on October 13, 1987, at the age of 58, he even considered returning there, when he was not happy with the industry’s ways. One can also trace his idiosyncrasies to his childhood when he wanted to have a jackal as a pet or the life-long habit of putting his left leg on the table while eating. Or, his ability to mimic the sound of birds and animals without effort.
The authors have chronicled his Khandwa days by speaking to his childhood acquaintances and digging up rare documents. Understanding his childhood, his closeness to his mother Gouri Rani and his deep love for Khandwa is a crucial piece in a puzzle called Kishore Kumar. Behind his popular public persona, he probably sought solace in his childhood memories amidst the rough and tumble of life and while dealing with depression in the same way as Charles Foster Kane, Citizen Kane‘s iconic protagonist played by director-actor Orson Welles, remembers his toy sled — Rosebud — in his deathbed.
Without appearing judgemental, the authors highlight his self-contradictory and erratic behaviour. He initially declined the role of Vidyapati in Padosan (1968) because its producer and his co-actor Mehmood had received higher remuneration than him in Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966), in which they had acted together. Yet, in the later years, he gladly became part of Mehmood’s movies such as Sadhu Aur Shaitaan (1969) and Bombay to Goa (1972) for gratis. His first wife Ruma Guha Thakurta cited his absence at home and hectic work life as reasons for their divorce. His former wife Yogita Bali once mentioned his reluctance to share a bathroom with her. But he would leave the sets early to spend the evenings with his ailing wife Madhubala. He would even eat dinner twice — with her in the evening and later at home with his mother.
Even though the book talks about his flaws, it can still be called a celebration of Kumar’s artistic excellence. The singer-actor played truant on the sets; delayed various projects that required legendary Bimal Roy to intervene on several occasions on behalf of producers; and turned down several offers which are today considered to be landmarks of Indian cinema. The book also tries to set the record straight by addressing several speculations regarding his life. For example, he was aware of Madhubala’s heart condition before they got married and he did take care of her medical expenses. Though Kishore Kumar gained more popularity than Md Rafi after Aradhana (1969) as a leading playback singer, they shared a warm relationship.
What the book misses out on offering is a deeper perspective about Kishore Kumar’s contribution to the industry and his unmatched artistic legacy. It duly puts the spotlight on the unschooled genius, who was a bona fide magician behind the microphone, as well as the man who is full of contradictions yet compassionate. The narrative should have delved deeper for a better understanding of his time and the impact he had on popular culture.
Still, this biography is a must-read for all those who love Kishore Kumar and are awestruck by his prodigious talent. An ode to a brilliant artiste, this will help readers understand the eccentric genius, who was a significant part of the Indian film industry for nearly four decades.
Lesser Facts about Kishore Kumar from Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography
AIR audition: During Kishore Kumar’s visit to Bombay in the early ’40s, his elder brother Ashok Kumar took him to All India Radio for an audition for the children’s section. Young Kishore was reluctant and shed copious tears on the way to the audition, which was conducted by composer Madan Mohan. On the tabla was a young Raj Kapoor.
Meeting with Lata Mangeshkar: The first time Lata Mangeshkar saw Kishore Kumar was in a local train. He got into the same compartment of the train where she was seated. His peculiar attire and mannerisms drew her attention. After getting off the train at Malad, she took a tonga to Bombay Talkies. So did he. That made her panic. Music composer Khemchand Prakash, who had taken Kishore Kumar under his wings, stepped in to introduce Kishore to her. Their first duet is Sapnon Ki Nagari Mein Yeh Kaun Aaya in the film Ziddi (1948).
Actor turned barber: In the mid-50s, when Kishore Kumar was a sought-after actor, popular for his comedy and improvisations, he used to trim his hair himself by placing three mirrors around him. Later on, he got a custome-made 360-degree mirror for the same.
A teetotaller: Kishore Kumar detested the smell of alcohol. All his life, he was averse to drinking. He also didn’t like smoking. But he was a major foodie and had a sweet tooth.
Impromptu melody: The song sequence in Padosan with Baul touch — Mere Bhole Balam — in which Kishore Kumar’s character Vidyapati is advising lovesick Bhola (Sunil Dutt) was the singer-actor’s brainchild. He even choreographed the sequence, which was not originally planned by the makers.
Shy romantic: The song Yeh Raaten Yeh Mausam from Dilli Ka Thug (1958) — picturised on Kishore Kumar and Nutan — is considered to be one of most memorable romantic melodies by composer Ravi. However, Nutan in an interview had mentioned that Kishore Kumar was uncomfortable during its filming. “Kishore did not know the depiction of love was the keynote of the filming of the song until he reported for work on the sets. When he heard that he had to play the lover in the song, he protested wildly, made excuses so that the song scene would be postponed. He suggested that it would suit him better if it was made boisterous and comic.”
Debut as a Composer: Jhumroo (1961) became Kishore Kumar’s first released film as a composer. Apart from acting as the titular protagonist, he also wrote its story and the lyrics of its title song. This song became popular for his signature yodelling. After this movie, Kishore Kumar promoted himself as an actor-cum-music director and didn’t shy away from pointing out that having him on board would help producers cut their expenses.
Double delight: For the song Aake Seedhi Lagi, in Half Ticket (1962), Kishore Kumar sang both the male and female stanzas. The song is picturised on Kishore Kumar in drag and Pran. Initially, Lata Mangeshkar was supposed to sing with him. However, when she didn’t turn up at the appointed hour, Kishore suggested to Salil Chowdhury that he would sing her part, too. Chowdhury, at first, assumed that Kishore was joking as usual.
Directorial debut: Taking a break from playing the funnyman on screen, Kishore Kumar made his directorial debut with Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964), which produced and written apart from playing the lead role. In his trademark quirky manner, he warned distributors to buy the film, in which his son Amit Kumar played a young boy who has lost his ability to speak, at their own risk. However, after a slow start, the film became a major success.
Political trouble: In 1976, when the secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting approached Kishore Kumar to sing on Geeton Bhari Shaam, a pro-government television programme conceived by Sanjay Gandhi, the singer refused to make an appearance. Though several attempts were made to convince him, he didn’t budge. Following this, his songs were banned from AIR and Doordarshan. Attempts were also made to freeze the sale of his records. The ban was lifted after politician VC Shukla’s intervention.
