Today 4th August is birthday of the genius called Kishore Kumar. The movie Door Ka Rahi is testimony to this. The credit lines documented his contribution –story, screenplay, music, producer and director.
The first song of Kishore Kumar was inspired by KL Saigal. He sang for Dev Anand. In fact most singers of 1940s were copying Saigal. But Kishore was a rare gem and soon carved a path for himself.
After coming out of his Saigal fixation, Kishore finally found his own style, thanks to SD Burman and Dev Anand. Interestingly SDB heard Kishore singing while at Ashok Kumar’s house and hearing Kishore, asked him to forget Saigal and start singing in his own voice. Not only did he just say it, but decided to help Kishore mould his voice over several years. It was Dev Anand who helped to catapult Kishore to the top of the charts, with his songs tuned by SD and the trio Dev-SDB-Kishore delivered many hits while Kishore became well known as Dev’s voice. For long Kishore was only singing for himself and Dev Anand only in Movies.
Interestingly he went on to act in some 102 films, with most people calling him a natural actor.
Both Kishore and his brother Anoop had studied the works of Swiss singer Tex Morton and the Australian Jimmy Rodgers for many years, before perfecting the yodeling style. That is how Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo became his signature yodel! Brilliant yodeling hits followed, Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana (Andaz), Bhor Aayee Gaya Andhiyara (Bawarchi), Ye Sham Mastani (Kati Patang), and many more.
For years Radio Ceylon would play ‘Khush Hai Zamaana Aaj Pehli Taariq Hai’ On 1st of every month.
His song ‘Zaroorat Hai Shreemati ki’ Became an anthem in Universities.

In 1969 came Aradhana and Kishore Kumar playbacked for Rajesh Khanna and ‘Mere Sapnon ki Rani’ amd ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ took the country by storm. Kishore Kumar became the voice of Rajesh Khanna and the phenomenon took Kishore Kumar to the pinnacle.