Playback Singers of Actor Kishore Kumar

Playback Singers of Actor Kishore Kumar?

You must have been shocked after reading the title of the article! Did I misspelled the title or did you misread?

No, the title is correct.

Then how is this possible?

Kishore Kumar is considered to be one of the most successful and popular playback singer in Hindi cinema. He has elevated career of many actors by lending his playback voice.

From ‘Marne Ki Duayen Keon Mangu (मरने की दुआएँ क्यों माँगू)’ in the 1948 film ‘Jiddi’ to ‘Guru Guru (गुरु गुरु)’ in the 1988 film ‘Wakt Ki Awaaz’, Kishore Kumar has sung over 2,600 Hindi film songs for actors ranging from Dev Anand to Mithun Chakraborty.

Then how is it possible that other singers have done playback for Kishore Kumar?

Kishore Kumar was not serious about his singing in the beginning of his career. Knowing the uniqueness of his voice, many musicians used his voice for playback singing, but he was more interested in acting. Therefore, from the 1946 film ‘Shikari’ to the 1968 film ‘Shrimanji’, Kishore Kumar has acted in 75 films. Then from 1969 to 1989, he acted only in 15 films. One of the films ‘Mamata Ki Chhaan Main’ was released in 1989 after his death.

As we all knew that, his singing career blossomed from 1969’s movie ‘Aaradhana’ or after that Kishore Kumar became every composer’s first choice as a male singer. After 1969, he concentrated on playback singing and from 1969 to 1987, he sang for over 2000 songs for over 950 films. Kishore Kumar was a consummate actor, he has performed comedy as well as serious roles. He has also given many ‘All in One Kishore kumar’ type films as a producer, writer, poet, playback singer, musician and actor himself.

Since his 1946’s movie ‘Shikari’ to his 1968’s film ‘Shrimanji’, 75 of his films have been scored by various composers. And for some reason many of those composers have used other famous male singers for giving their voices to actor Kishore Kumar, instead of singer Kishore Kumar they preferred actor Kishore Kumar. And we are going to see the same songs today.

Now, we are going to watch and listen to those songs. Here are videos of 10 selected songs for Kishore Kumar to see how voices of other singers match to actor Kishore Kumar. And more interesting thing is that even female singer Asha Bhosale has also sung a song for Kishore Kumar. 2-3 songs sung by Mohammad Rafi for Kishore Kumar are familiar to many, but for Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapoor, S. D. Batish (Pt. Shiv Dayal Batish) as well as legendary classical singer Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan have also sung for Kishore Kumar. All the singers’ voices are very much suited to actor Kishore Kumar, and he has also acted well. Also, being a singer himself, Kishore Kumar has mastered lip sync very well.

Today we are going to learn about these songs.

Let’s start with the ragdari based song ‘Chhed Diye Mere Dilke Taar Kyun (छेड दिये मेरे दिलके तार क्यूँ)’.

Song No. 1: ‘Chhed Diye Mere Dilke Taar Kyun (छेड दिये मेरे दिलके तार क्यूँ)‘, Movie: Ragini (Year 1958), Singers: Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan, Lyricist: Jan Nisar Akhtar, Composer: O. P. Nayyar

This song has been sung by legendary classical duo Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan! Born in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan were classical singers from the Patiala dynasty, who settled in Pakistan after Partition. It is special that a stubborn musician O P Nayyar, who never compromised in his songs, at that time have used Pakistani singers for this song! This song features the juxtaposition (जुगलबंदी) of both these singers. And in this song Kishore Kumar can be seen singing Ragdari on screen. Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan has sung the playback for Kishore Kumar. This song is composed in raga ‘Kamod’.

Song No. 2: ‘Ajab Hai Dastan Teri Ai Zindagi (अजब है दास्ताँ तेरी ऐ जिन्दगी)’, Movie: Shararat (Year 1959), Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyricist: Shailendra, Music: Shankar Jaikishan

This song is featured twice in the film, both versions of this song can be seen in the clip below. As mentioned above, Rafi’s voice suits Kishore Kumar.

Next song is familiar to most of the listeners.

Song No. 3: ‘Mann Mora Bawra (मन मोरा बावरा)‘, Movie: Ragini (Year 1958), Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyricist: Jan Nisar Akhtar, Music: O. P. Nayyar

Another classical song picturized on Kishore Kumar from the film Ragini. When you listen to this song in Rafi’s voice, you realize why you need Rafi here.

Song No. 3: ‘Mann Mora Bawra (मन मोरा बावरा)‘, Movie: Ragini (Year 1958), Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyricist: Jan Nisar Akhtar, Music: O. P. Nayyar

Song No. 4: ‘Aap Hue Mere Balam (आप हुए मेरे बलम)’, Movie: Crorepati (Year 1961), Singers: Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar, Lyricist: Shailendra, Music: Shankar Jaikishan

Another song in the film is ‘Pahle Murgi Hui Thi Ki Anda (पहले मुर्गी हुई थी की अंडा)’ sung by Manna Dey and featuring Kishore Kumar.

गाणे क्र. ५: ‘अपनी आदत है’, चित्रपट: प्यार दिवाना (वर्ष १९७२), गायक: मोहम्मद रफी, गीतकार: असद भोपाली, संगीतकार: लाला सत्तार

Song No. 5: ‘Apni Aadat Hai (अपनी आदत है)’, Movie: Pyaar Deewana (1972), Singer: Mohammed Rafi, Lyricist: Asad Bhopali, Composer: Lala Sattar

This song tell us how much Mohammad Rafi’s voice suits Kishore Kumar.

Song No. 5: ‘Apni Aadat Hai (अपनी आदत है)’, Movie: Pyaar Deewana (1972), Singer: Mohammed Rafi, Lyricist: Asad Bhopali, Composer: Lala Sattar

Song No. 6: ‘Chale Ho Kahan Karke Ji Bekarar (चले हो कहाँ करके जी बेकरार)‘, Movie: Bhagam Bhag (1956), Singers: Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle, Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri, Music Director: O. P. Nayyar

Song No. 7: ‘Humne To Dil Bichha Diya (हमने तो दिल बिछा दिया)’, Film: Albela Mastana (1967), Singer: Mahendra Kapoor & Usha Mangeshkar, Lyricist: Prem Dhawan, Music Director: N. Dutta

Song No. 8: ‘Dil Diya Daulat Ko Ae Insaan Tune Kya Kiya (दिल दिया दौलत को ऐ इंसान तूने क्या किया)’, Movie: Bhagam Bhaag (1956), Singer: Mohammed Rafi and S. D. Batish, Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri, Music Director: O. P. Nayyar

This song is pictorized on Master Bhagwan and Kishore Kumar, well-known classical singer and composer S. D. Batish (Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish) has provided voice to Kishore Kumar.

Songs No. 9: ‘Ho Gayi Shaam, Dil Badnaam (हो गई शाम, दिल बदनाम)’, Movie: Naughty Boy (1962), Singers: Manna Dey and Asha Bhosle, Lyricist: Shailendra, Music Director: Sachin Dev Burman

It is mystery that, While Kishore Kumar has sang six more songs in the film, why voice of Manna Dey was used in this one song which is filmed on Kishore Kumar.

Anyway, it is seen that Manna Dey’s voice also suits Kishore Kumar.

And the last but amazing song from today’s article!

As Kishore Kumar was multi-talented singer, he has sung few songs in a female voice too. But composer O. P. Nayyar might not have agreed with that, so O P Nayyar literally used Asha Bhosle’s voice for Kishore Kumar for this song in the film ‘Bap Re Bap’. Kishore Kumar seems to have danced beautifully on this song without grumbling.

Song No. 10: ‘Jaane Bhi De Chhod Yeh Bahana (जाने भी दे छोड़ ये बहाना)’, Movie: Baap Re Baap (1955), Singer: Asha Bhosle, Lyricist: Jaan Nisar Akhtar, Music Director: O. P. Nayyar

Kishore Kumar has been dubbed by other famous playback singers for around 20 such songs, out of which Rafi has sung 7 songs and Manna Dey has sung 6 songs. Two other songs featuring Kishore Kumar in the other movies are sung by Hemant Kumar, but they are not discussed here as they are sung in the background. But In the 1967 Bengali film ‘Dustu Prajapati’, Hemant Kumar sang a song for Kishore Kumar.

Read my other articles on Kishore Kumar:

O P Nayyar’s Lullaby & Children Songs

एक गीत के दो रूप – One Song Two variants

Playback Singers of Actor Kishore Kumar- Article Copyright: Author and Compiler – Charudatta Sawant, 2023. Mobile No. 8999775439

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Playback Singers of Actor Kishore Kumar