Kishore Kumar, as Abhas Kumar Ganguly was well known as…yoodled into our hearts and minds!! Today on his Birth Anniversary, we celebrate the ledgendary Singer/ actor with some of lesser known facts about his life and of course, his hit numbers 😉
# 1 It is believed that the inspiration behind the song ‘Paanch Rupaiya Barah Aana’ from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi was the Rs 5.75 he owed to the canteen of his college in Indore!!
# 2 He was actually was inspired by the yodelling that he heard on his brothers phonograph records. he adapetd the style by Jimmie Rodgers and Tex Morton. He yodelled for number of songs like ‘Zindagi Ek Safar’ from the movie Andaz, ‘Chala Jata Hoon Kisi Ki Dhun Mein’ from the filmHaathi Mere Saathi and so on.
#3 He actually put up a sign board with a message “Beware of Kishore” at the door of his Warden Road flat. Once, filmmaker H. S. Rawail came to visit the actor at his residence to him some dues. Kishore Da, after taking the money, reportedly bit Rawail when he tried to shake hands with him. On being asked, Kumar said, “Didn’t you see the sign?”.
#4 He won 8 Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and and holds the record for most number of Filmfare Awards won in that category.
#5 Kishore Kumar married four times. First to Bengali singer and actress Ruma Ghosh, second to bollywood actress Madhubala and then was married to Yogeeta Bali for two years. Leena Chandavarkar was his fourth wife and the marriage lasted till Kishore Da’s death. He has two sons Amit Kumar with Ruma and Sumit Kumar with Leena Chandavarkar.
#6 He was so fed up of not getting paid on time, that he used to sing ONLY when his secretary confirmed recipt of payment !!