Kishore - S.D.Burman - A Relationship That Began With ‘Aradhana’
Destiny takes its own course in everyone’s life. Kishore Kumar was destined to meet the famous Sachin Dev Burman on that day. It was during one of those earlier periods in Kishore’s life when he was starting his career and not much known. S.D.Burman visited Kishore’s brother at their home in Mumbai. Kishore, who had not got any formal education in music, had adopted a style in those days to imitate the notable singer K. L. Saigal.
Burman, on listening to Kishore’s song from outside, mistakenly assumed that Saigal was singing inside. Soon Kishore was introduced to Burman by his brother, and thus the first meeting between Kishore and S.D.Burman happened unexpectedly. It was that meeting that altered the destiny of Kishore Kumar altogether. From that day onwards, Kishore stopped mimicking others and started singing in his own voice. Soon he developed a style of his own. He became popular in the Indian music world with his unique yodeling style that he adopted in his singing.
The Bollywood will never forget the movie Aradhana and its songs. The movie was a significant milestone in Kishore Kumar’s career too. Firstly, he was absorbed to sing the songs that were previously decided for Mohammed Rafi. Again it was destiny that played a big role in choosing Kishore in that notable movie. S.D.Burman fell ill, and it was R.D.Burman who took the responsibility of completing the movie of his father and decided to use Kishore Kumar. Kishore Kumar thus got the opportunity for singing ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ and ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’. He bagged his first Filmfare award for the song ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ in that year.
Kishore Kumar’s honest association with S.D.Burman helped him achieve a series of hit songs from the movies such as ‘Taxi Driver, Paying Guest, Funtoosh, Nau Do Gyarah, etc. Prem Pujari, a debut from director Dev Anand, though did not find much audience, was known for the popular hits ‘Phoolon Ke Rang Se’ and ‘Shokiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye’ – a combined effort of S.D.Burman and Kishore Kumar.
The relationship of Kishore Kumar with Burman did not find any boundaries. They were made for each other. ‘Sharmilee’ and ‘Jugnu’ followed to add to the success stories of the duo with the songs ‘Aj Madhosh Hua Jaaye Re’, ‘Khilte Hai Gul Yahan’, ‘Oh Meri Sharmilee’, and ‘Pyaar Ke Is Khel Mein’. The last few films of S.D.Burman as music director with Kishore singing apart from Mili, were ‘Arjun Pandit’ with the song ‘Dil Mera Udh Jaaye’, Deewangi with the memorable soft song ‘Chalo Sapnon Ke Shehar’ and Tyaag, with yet another beauty rendered ‘Man Pukare.’ (These films were released much later in 1976.) The commitment of Kishore Kumar to S.D.Burman continued even after Burman’s unexpected departure from the world of music and movies in 1975. After the death of S.D.Burman, Kishore Kumar kept his commitment towards his maestro by associating with R.D.Burman and continued his contribution by singing many songs including ‘Sholay’, ‘Warrant’, Heera Panna’, etc.
Kishore Kumar – S.D.Burman pair will remain in the hearts of the music enthusiasts forever. There are certain souls in the world that are ‘Made for each other’. The humanity gets rare chance to identify and make the most of such pairs. Indian cinema was lucky to have one of them - KK and SDB.
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May 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
kishore da always used to say “arrey dil se gao galey se nahin”. He was a magician of soz. I could not celebrate my B’day after 13th october 1987. My opinion is do not keep on counting hunderd of thousands of songs of a singer and then strip them out for evaluation that how good or bad that singer is/was. Only ONE song can change some one’s life. It is the power of music that will remain everlasting not the individual. Rafi Mukesh or Kishore All are angels of god whose talent has created beautiful environment around us. God bless them all.
Kind regards to you all
Sushil k parashar
December 16th, 2007 at 11:12 am
Binu ji - I will disagree with you here. Read some of the comments written by diehard Rafi fans. I think it is in bad taste.
Actually there are such fans for both the artistes and it is not fair to say that some writers in this forum are writing anti-Rafi sahab. I love the songs of both these artistes though I am more of a Kishore fan as it is my own liking and passion.
Read this post - I think it is in real bad taste.
http://www.yoodleeyoo.com/kishore-diary/an-endless-feud-between-the-fans-of-mohammed-rafi-and-kishore-kumar.html#comment-5679
I request the web-master to post all messages posted by Kishore/Rafi fans. I sense some of messages posted by Rafi fans are not being approved.
Ek dukhi ladki aur Kishore ki fan.
December 13th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Anil ji :
Most of Rafi saab fans and lovers love the songs of Kishore da
too.
They do not behave like fanatics or sectarians which is not the
case with some writers in this forum……
binu nair
December 8th, 2007 at 3:41 am
Dipankar,
Come down to earth! Many of the classical singers can sing great songs which can only be understood by people like you! If you don’t like kishore-da then you really don’t deserve to be a Rafi fan.
By the way what is taans, alaaps? Music has no language! Just feel it! If you can feel it then that is YOUR feeling!
December 6th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
LMAO!!! This is the problem of us asians. We dont want to accept what the truth is , our views are biased. Kishore kumar didn’t have harkats and taans in his voice which rafi had. But kishore had an awesome voice , very melodic. Guys , honestly ; rafi was a muslim but he sang man tarpat hari darshan ko aaj , an indian bhajan like a pandit. He sand semi classical songs like madhuban mein radhika nache re (where the classical part is very hard to attempt) . Rafi sang high songs , he sang sad songs , he sang inatoxicated songs , he sang happy songs , he sang cocky songs , he sang funny songs , he sang shabds (sikhs) , he sang bhajans (like pandits) , he sang muslim hamds and naats , he sang ghazals , he sang 2 english songs , he sang semi classical songs.!!!!!!! Is there ever been a singer like rafi then??? If you understand music , u must know that rafi was a master of harkats. And also his taans and alaaps are undisputed.
Please acknowledge the truth , dont fool yourselves . Both singers are from india but try to understand which one was better. RAFI has got no match till date. EVEN sonu nigam the best singer in india right now and the only one that can cut a semi classical album loves RAFI. CZ he understands music.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:03 am
People keep saying that KK was never a trained singer, well why not. You mean to tell me he just got up every morning and started singing. Maybe he was never formally trained as a youngster but did train when he started singing. No one will has yet to have range in voice that Mohd. Rafi sahib had. He could sing anything from a ghazal to qawali to raag to a song in any mood. I love KK as much, but they were both different. I miss them both, and wish they were still alive.
August 18th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Guys I challenge any songs of Kishore VS Rafi/Lata, anytime Kishore is any time best. Its very difficult to change people who does not understand music, singing + pure sheer of listening to a male voice + versitality what Kishore cannot put in words, he was exteremly talented.
To be honest many and many feel Rafi’s songs were all of similar style, may be those days composers had same kind of creating songs or the trend was that. Rafi could have done differently if had sung in a different generation but tell me about the VOICE what kishore had… extremly good.
Pure Man’s voice.
Kishore sung best songs because he had the talent and support of people.
Rafi was washed away there was no one to listen Rafi’s songs once Kishore came to his peak.
Time is the best example to say Kishore swept all good songs as people/directors/producers/music directors wished him to sing. Easily 70s and 80s belonged to Kishore, there was no way to look back till he expired.
Take any of kishore’s songs, I am sure none of previous singers or current or future singers can sing with such versitality with such good voice.
I and my friends always feel God has made some people where their brains cannot be tuned at all, they stick to it even if its wrong, they cannot think beyond what they understand, just like the supporters of Rafi. They want to stay in 60s and cannot understand music because their brain is tuned to certain level and cannot go further
NO ARGUEMENT PLEASE ….. KISHORE IS BEST !!!!
July 28th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Kishoreda is the greatest artist in the universe.
July 28th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
There need be no debate about Kishor’s talents and often-remarkable performance, and he of course shone well particularly well under Sr Burman’s baton. Especially his several songs based on Khamaj - for example, Koi humdum na rahaa; musaafir hoong yaaro, to fix clear what I mean) were great, since, as one has written on this site (not this page), he did enjoy a certain inexplicable natural melodic flair which showed in certain types of songs mostly classical or semi-classical, or else straight notes using the Ragas in a non-classical manner. I want to only add a negative facet of his music, just so that we maintain an unbiassed and fair view of him. It is that towards the latter phase of his cine musica career, his voice became very very hoarse, either due to overexploitation with too many singing contracts, or due to songs mismatched to his innate singing qualities.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Mr A Singh,I certainly know that koi humdum was based on jhinjhiti raaga.