“Chhookar mere man ko, kiya tune kya ishara
Badla ye mausam, lage pyara jag Sara.”
The synonym for versatility, a true legend, Sir Kishore Kumar did every possible job in the industry from being an actor, director, producer, script writer, screenplay writer, lyricist, composer to most importantly being an amazing playback singer, has truly and deeply touched our hearts. His soulful music has helped us fete in our felicity, been our best company at our deplorable times and held that lamp of hope dangling by, in every misfortune. His songs have ignited and inspired the minds of all, be it old or young, rock or monk, dense or sage, time and again.
‘Duniya kehti mujhko pagal, main kehta duniya ko pagal’- Kishore Kumar
Yes, we are harebrained indeed, for his soulful and heartfelt music. On the 4th of August, 2015, we celebrated this legendary singer’s 86th birth anniversary. Not just in Hindi, Abhas Kumar Ganguly, better known as Kishore Kumar, made his mark in Bangla, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada and Odia as well. His spine-stimulating baritone has intimidated thousands of hearts and can never get old for any generation.
Out of the innumerable songs that Kishore Da has to his credit, it is a Herculean task to decide the top five, whatever genre we consider. However, these few are not worth missing.
1.’Mere sapno ki rani kab ayegi tu’
2.’Roop tera mastana’
3.’Ek chatoor naar’
4.’Chhookar mere man ko’
5.’O majhi re’
His songs have conveyed the true spirit of living and made an incomparable contribute to Indian cinema and music Industry. He breathed his last on the 13th of October, 1987, at the age of 58. His name signifies immortality and just like that, he is immortal in our hearts and prayers.
That being said, Kishore Kumar’s voice and his entire music repertoire can make anyone nostalgic. Be it sultry, summer evenings, sitting around a battery operated radio due to power cuts, dining at an ultra-modern restaurant, packing our bags and travelling around the world or nodding our heads to pop, jazz and rock music, Kumar’s golden, evergreen voice will continue bringing us oddles of nostalgia and heartfelt warmth generation after generation.
Poulami Ghosh Ray
