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News |  04 Aug 2014 20:28 |  By RnMTeam

Google Doodle celebrates Kishore Kumar's Birthday

MUMBAI: He gave us songs like 'Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana', 'Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai', 'Chingari Koi Bhadke' and 'Gaadi Bula Rahi Hai' in his long list of hits. He mesmerised the world with his music, singing talent, beautiful lyrics and his charming on-screen persona to delight movie fans. On his birth anniversary, Google pays tribute to one of Bollywood's biggest legends by dedicating today's Doodle to the Abhas Kumar Ganguly, fondly called Kishore Da.

Kumar started his career as a chorus singer before his first appearance in the film 'Shikari'. It is often said that Kishore Da was a fan of the K. L. Saigal who also an actor-singer. He considered Saigal as his guru and imitated him for a while. He evolved as a singer when he developed his own style 'yodeling' which is involves repeated changes of pitch during a single note. This made him distinct and was credited with that particular music form, throughout his life.

With no formal training in music, he was still able to create magic behind the mic and also delivered music composition that kept many wanting more.

Even during the black and white era, he added colours through his music and acting for films like 'New Delhi' (1957), 'Aasha' (1957) and 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi' (1958). The shot from the film 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi' where car mechanic- Kumar is heard singing a beautiful track 'Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi', describing the character of the female lead Madhubala in the film, is remembered till date.

Kumar was the voice behind many actors in the 70s and 80s- Rajesh Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Dev Anand, Vinod Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Randhir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Pran, Govinda and Jackie Shroff amongst others.

On a personal front, many titled him as a loner as he spent most of his time talking to trees. He was married four times- Bengali singer and actress Ruma Guha Thakurta aka Ruma Ghosh, actress Madhubala, Yogeeta Bali and Leena Chandavarkar (from 1980 until his death). He is survived by two children. Kumar had one policy 'No pay No work'. He was always paranoid that he would not get paid, which prompted him to get his dues from directors and music composers before doing any work. Over the years, it was reported that he had developed an unusual behaviour and also placed a board outside his residence warning people of it.

He died at the age of 58, on his brother's birthday- 13 October. The previous day he recorded the song 'Guru Guru'-a duet with Asha Bhosle for the film 'Waqt Ki Aawaz' composed by Bappi Lahiri.

Kumar also has an award in his name- the 'Kishore Kumar Award', which was initiated by the Madhya Pradesh Government to facilitate the contribution to Hindi Cinema.

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