Jan 13, 2007 04:20 PM
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Kishore wasn't interested in acting, but was too afraid to rebel against Ashok Kumar, who wanted him to be an actor like himself. Kishore had an idea, if he didn't act properly in his movie roles, for rushing from one studio to another, recording songs, composing music and writing lyrics, he also found time to produce and direct several movies too.
Although known mostly as a singer, he also achieved a lot of success as a comedian in films such classics as - Half Ticket, Padosan, Naukri, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Baap Re Baap, Badthi Ka Naam Dadhi, Pyar Diwana, Hungama, Door Ka Raahi and the great classic but commercial flop and his own production called Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein. Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein was a futuristic movie which had Kishore Kumar with his real life son Amit Kumar playing a deaf and mute young boy.
Apart from Sachin Dev Burman, Khemchand Prakash was another composer who recognized Kishore's talents. He composed and recorded with Kishore for the movie Ziddi which became a huge hit. Incidentally, it was in Khemchand's own studio, where Kishore met Lata Mangeshkar. Lata reports that one day she was going to Khemchand's studio to record, looking around she was under the impression that she was being followed, it was only after reaching the studio that she realized that it was Kishore, Ashok Kumar's younger brother with whom she would record duets in the future which would become hit after hits. By now a lot of other well know composers too realised Kishore's potentials and started to work with him.
S. D. Burman recorded with Kishore for Dev Anand's(actor) Taxi Driver and Paying Guest. At a time when Lata was doing well, S.D.Burman fell out with her and replaced her with Asha Bhosle, Lata's younger sister. S.D.Burman, Majrooh, Asha and Kishore became a stong team and produced some fantastic music for films like, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, the song, "Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si", "Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka" and "Paanch Rupaiya Baara Aana" became very popular among the moviegoers, there was also, Dev Anand's film Paying Guest and Teen Deviyan. The song "Mana Janab Ne Pukara Nahin" from Paying Guest was incredibly popular. Kishore and Asha recorded a lot of casual hits such as, "Chhod Do Aanchal", "Ankhon Mein Ji", "Arre Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Gajab", "Chhedo Na Meri Zulfein" and there was another classic song from the film Dilli Ka Thug, which had, "C.A.T.Cat Maane Billi" and "Hum To Mohabbat Karega", the list is endless.
Majrooh Sultanpuri and Shailendra were favorite song writers of Kishore, he would request them to write all the songs for his home productions. In the days when composers would recommend lyricists to producers, Shankar-Jaikishan(composers) had promised Shailendra that they would recommend him around, but didn't keep their promise, to which Shailendra sent them a note with the lines, "Chhoti Si Yeh Duniya Pehchaane Raaste Hain Kahin To Miloge Phir Poochhenge Haal", Shankar-Jaikishan realized what the message meant and having said, sorry turned the lines into a well know song.
Kishore too was interested in composing. History has it that Kishore and Kalyanji Shah of Kalyanji-Anandji fame, introduced electronic sounds to the then composers who were around. Most of the time Kishore would assist S.D.Burman but he would compose and write songs himself. This shows in films like, Jhumroo for which Kishore wrote "Main Hoon Jhumroo".
