Amit Kumar

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Amit Kumar


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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Amit Kumar Ganguly
Alias = Ameet Kumar
Born = Birth date|1952|July|3
Instrument = Vocalist, Purcussion Instruments (Bango)
Genre = Bollywood and regional filmi playback, Rabindra Sangeet
Occupation = Singer, Actor, Director, Musician
Years_active = 1965 - Till Date

Amit Kumar is an Indian film playback singer, Actor, Director, and Music Director. He is the son of famous singer and actor Kishore Kumar and famous bengali singer and actress Ruma Guha Thakurta. Like his father he too loved singing since childhood and used to sing in Kolkata during Durga Pooja functions. Once he was performing on stage in Kolkata in a Durga Pooja function arranged by the great Bengali actor Uttam Kumar, people kept on requesting for more songs and this information reached his mother. She called in Kishore Kumar and complained that your son is singing 'filmy' songs. Hearing this Kishore Kumar was delighted and decided to bring him to Bombay (now Mumbai).

Later he has sung many popular Bollywood and Regional film songs in the 1970s,1980s,1990s and singing till today.

In late 1980s and throughout the 1990s film industry saw invasion of many clones of legendary Kishore Kumar. Also this was the era when film industry Bollywood was struggling with onslaught of underworld. This forced many producers and directors to obey dictates of underworld dons in selection of startcast, music-directors, and singers. Some underworld favored singers were superimposed on the better projects. That put pressure on real and genuine artists like Amit Kumar. Despite all these facts, very rarely a singer last for more than one decade, but Amit Kumar is thriving since last 38 years. Considering this scenario this is amazing achievement by Amit.

Initial Career: 1970s

Amit Kumar made his debut in singing and as a child actor in his father's movie "Door Ka Rahi". He recorded a song "Main Panchi Matwaala re" as child singer artist. This song was removed from the film later by Kishore Kumar. Later he made official debut in film Balika Badhu for the super hit song "Bade Acche Lagate Hain" composed by R.D. Burman. After that he recorded hundred of songs with R.D. Burman.

In late 70s he sang few songs for various films. The song Aati Rahengi Baharein from the film 'Kasame Vaade' was superhit. He sang for Randhir Kapoor in this song while Kishore Kumar sang for Amitabh Bachchan.

He sang some supuer hits songs in the films like Aandhi, Khatta Meetha, GolMaal, Des Pardes, Ganga Ki Saugandh, Deewanagi, Duniya Meri Jeb Mein, Parvarish, Baaton Baaton Mein etc. The duet song with Lata Mangeshkar from the film 'Baaton Baaton Mein' Uthe Sabke Kadam is still hummed by music lovers.

As a leading playback singer in Bollywood, he sang many songs for Kumar Gaurav who was a rising star in the 1980s. But his maximum number of sings are recorded and released for Anil Kapoor.

1980s

It is very well kept secret by Amit and his father that when Raj Kapoor was producing Bobby for his son Rishi Kapoor, Amit Kumar was approached by Raj Kapoor and late music composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal to sing songs of this film. This could have been a huge break for Amit. But as destiny has its way, Amit somehow didn't reach for recordings.

1980s started with a bang for Amit with mega hit film Love Story. He sang all the songs of the film and got his Filmfare Award for the duet Yaad Aa Rah Hai with Lata Mangeshkar. About this song music composer R.D. Burman jokingly told Amit before release that this song sounds like a "Bhajan".

In 1980 the actor Feroz Khan produced a super hit film Qurbani. There was a song Laila O Laila in this film that became an iconic song in this decade. Amit Kumar rendered his voice for this song for Amjad Khan.

His duet song Tu Rootha To Main Ro Dungi with Asha Bhonsle from the film "Jawani" in the year 1984 composed by R.D. Burman was a huge hit and fetch Filmfare Award to Asha Bhonsle.

Another chartbuster from 1983 from the film "Haadsaa" was Ye Bombai Shahar Haadsoon Ka Shaher Hai. This song was so big hit that it generated some debate in Print media in Mumbai (Bombay those days) about the city itself.

In 1985 a hugely hit movie Yudh gave some really big hit songs from Amit. For example Kya hua kya nahin... I am in Love created waves across country.

In this decade he sung for almost all music direrctors, actors and produced hit after hit. With not so successful career of Kumar Gaurav, Amit kumar later became voice of Anil Kapoor in 1980s. But before this many hit songs too were released for Kumar Gaurav in films like Romance, Teri Kasam, Lovers, All Rounder, Telefilm-Janam, etc. In this decade he sang super hits for Anil Kapoor in the films like Tezaab, Yudh etc.

Naseeruddin Shah was eager to shed his Art Film image and joined the commercial cinema mainstream with film Tridev. The song from this film filmed on Naseer Oye-Oye was such a gigantic hit that it became the second identity of Naseer. Amit had sang for Naseer in the film Hero Hiralal too.

Early 1990s to Mid 1990s

1990 started with films like Hum and the song Sanam Mere Sanam brought another huge hit for Amit. Then came Kishen Kanhaiya and its songs too were huge hits. For Salman Khan the film Baaghi had some huge hits in the songs like Kaisa Lagta Hai. For Sunny Deol in the film Ghayal the song "Pyar Tum Mujhase" became chartbuster.

But the bigger hits were reserved for the film Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. The songs Deewana Dil Deewana and Sacchi Ye Kahani Hai made Shahrukh Khan even more bigger superstar.

With these songs Amit Kumar was cruising along in his career.

In this decade, he sang for some other hit films too like Awwal Number, ChaalBaaz, Khel, Vishwatma, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Judaai, Indrajeet etc.

Later in the decade with the invasion of many other Kishore Kumar clones his career started fading. The great R.D. Burman too was no more with whom Amit had a special bonding. He started withdrawing and making himself more busy in live stage performances in various parts of the world.

In one interview to Hindustan Times after the huge hit of Dil Mein Baji Guitar, he explained reasons for his oblibvion in mid 90s. He said that the new crop of music directors were not punctual in keeping times and were little less professional in approach. Many a times he went back from recording studio after waiting long for music director to come for recording. This provided openings to this new set of Kishore Kumar clones to set working relations with new music directors and make their career. Some of the clones lasted 7 -8 years and dominated the proceedings.

In this phase Amit lost out to sing for R.D. Burman's last mega hit . He stated in another interview that R.D. Burman was under pressure to use another singer for the songs because it was the 'trend' in those days. R.D. Burman tried his best to use Amit thinking only he can do justice to the songs, but even he was going through a lean phase and couldn't dictate his terms. Rest is history.

During these years, he composed and released music albums which were reasonably successful. Some of these are : MAD, PYAR TO BUS PYAR HAI and DAM DAMA DAM. This was the time when both he and R.D. Burman were going through lean patch in their careers. Some music directors tried to recreate the old magic by composing songs similar to the ones in 1970s sung by his legendary father Kishore Kumar. However success in this front was illusive.

New Century: 2000s

In Late 90s Amit was almost an invisible name on the music relases, but as the years passed the demand for high quality singing resurfaced, and he was in the forefront once again. Almost all major big banner movies started using again his voice for leading songs.

Songs like "Koi Nahi Aisa" from film Dillagi though was recorded in 1999, but it kept making waves in the year 2000 too. Later films like Beti No. 1, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam had featured his voice too. But in the year 2003 a film inspired by the great music composer R.D. Burman Jhankar Beats again brought Amit into the center stage of music world. The songs of these movie were super hit and re-establish him as top rated singer in the industry. He kept on singing few songs every year with amazing consistency of providing hits.

In year 2006 film Apna Sapna Money Money carried a song Dil Mein Baji Guitar was such a sensational hit that it was reported that this song was played once almost every hour on all radio station!

The latest in 2008 are songs from films called "Khushboo", "Abhimanyu", "Ishq Ho Gaya Mamu" to name a few.

Television

In late 1980s his voice did magic on the small screen too. He rendered his voice to very popular TV serials on Doordarshan such as Chuanuti and Campus. He also did songs for the Telefilm "Janam". In particular the song of the film Janam "Zindagi Zindagi Zindagi" was quite popular in those days.

Amit Kumar was one of the main judges in a recently concluded (May 2008) singing competition reality TV show "K for Kishore" where singers try to recreate the magic of Kishore Kumar's songs on Sony Entertainment Television Asia.

Bangla-Hindi Connection

Not many people would know that one of the most popular duet song of Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar "Kya Yahi Pyar Hai" composed by legendary R.D. Burman was initially sung by none other than Amit Kumar in Bangla film. The song was "Jeo Na Jeo Na". Same is the case for chartbuster "Bachna E Hasino" by Kishore Kumar as it was a Bangla song (Pran TO Mane Na) earlier sung by Amit Kumar.He also sung one more tv-serial "duck tales".

Acting Stint

Amit Kumar also acted in films which were directed by and starred his late father. His notable ones were "Badhti Ka Naam Daadi" (1974) and "Shabhash Daddy" (1979).

Some popular songs

*Aankho Mein Band Karloon (Sangdil Sanam)
*Aap Ko Dekh Ke (Kishan Kanhaiya)
*Ye Zameen Gaa Rahi Hai (Teri Kasam)
*Bade Acche Lagate Hain (Balika Badhu)
*Bombay Shahar (Haadsa)
*Teri Yaad Aa Rahi Hai (Love Story)
*Deewana Dil Deewana (Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa)
*Sacchi Ye Kahani hai.. Kaise Don (Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa)
*Tip Tip Tip Baarish (Afsana Pyar Ka)
*Tu Rutha to Mein Ro Doongi (Jawaani 1984)
*Dil Mein Baji Guitar (Apna Sapna Money Money)
*Koi Nahin Aisa (Dillagi)
*Makhna (Bade Miya Chote Miya)
*Kehh Do ki Tum Meri Warna (Tezaab)
*Laila O Laila (Qurbani)
*Aati Rahengi Bahare (with Kishore and Asha in Kasame Vaade)
*Ek do teen (Tezaab)
*Oye Oye (TriDev)
*Main Hoon Hero (Ram Lakhan)
*Jao Tum Chahe Jahan/Yaad Karoge Wahan (Narsimha 1991)
*Na Jaane Kahan Sei Ayeeh (Chaalbaaz)
*Kaisa Lagta Hai (Baaghi 1995)
*Rama O Rama (Rama O Rama)
*Roz Roz Aankho Tale (Jeeva)
*Sanam Mere Sanam (Hum)
*Tap Tap Tapori (Baaghi 1995)
*Gabbar Singh Ye Keh (100 Days)
*Le Le Dil De De Dil (100 Days)
*Suno Suno Ladkiyon (Silsila Hai Pyar Ka 1999)
*Uthe Sabke Kadam (Baaton Baaton Mein)
*Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha (Baaton Baaton Mein)

External links

* [http://www.amitkumarfanclub.com/ Amit Kumar's Official Fan Club]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0474776/ Amit Kumar IMDB profile]