Kishore Kumar

Kishore Kumar (4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987), was a popular Indian film playback singer, actor, lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenplay writer and scriptwriter.^[1] He is considered one of the most successful playback singers of the Hindi film industry. He sang in many Indian languages including Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Malayalam, Oriya, and Urdu. He won 8 Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer and holds the record for winning the most Filmfare Awards in that category. He was awarded the "Lata Mangeshkar Award" by the Madhya Pradesh government and from that year onwards, the Madhya Pradesh Government initiated a new award called the "Kishore Kumar Award" for contributions to Hindi cinema.

Kishore Kumar was born into the Bengali Ganguly family in Khandwa, Central Provinces and Berar (now in Madhya Pradesh) as Abhas Kumar Ganguly.^[2] His father Kunjalal Ganguly (Gangopadhyay) was a lawyer and his mother Gouri Devi came from a wealthy Bengali family. Kunjalal Gangopadhyaya was invited by the Kamavisadar Gokhale family of Khandwa to be their personal lawyer. Kishore was the youngest of four siblings, the other three were Ashok (the eldest), Sati Devi, and Anoop.^[3] While Kishore was still a child, his brother Ashok became a Bollywood actor. Later, Anoop also ventured into cinema with Ashok's help. Spending time with his brothers, Kishore became interested in films and music. He became a fan of singer-actor K. L. Sahgal—whom he considered his guru—and tried to emulate his singing style.^[4]

After Ashok became a star of Hindi films, the Ganguly family visited Mumbai regularly. Abhas Kumar changed his name to Kishore and started his cinema career as a chorus singer at Bombay Talkies, where his brother worked. Kumar's first film appearance was in Shikari (1946), in which his brother Ashok played the lead role. Music director Khemchand Prakash gave Kumar a chance to sing "Marne ki duayen kyon mangu" for the film Ziddi (1948). After this, Kumar was offered many other assignments, but he was not very serious about a film career.^[5] In 1949, he settled in Mumbai.^{[citation needed]} Kumar played the hero in the Bombay Talkies film Andolan (1951), directed by Phani Majumdar. Although he got some acting assignments with the help of his brother, he was more interested in becoming a singer. Ashok wanted Kumar to be an actor like him.^[6]

Kumar next starred in Bimal Roy's Naukri (1954) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's directorial debut Musafir (1957). Salil Chowdhury, the music director for Naukri, was initially dismissive of Kumar as a singer when he found that Kumar had no formal training in music.^[7] However, after hearing his voice, Chowdhury gave him the song Chhota sa ghar hoga, which was supposed to be sung by Hemant Kumar.^{[citation needed]} Kumar starred in films New Delhi (1957), Aasha (1957), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Half Ticket (1962), and Padosan (1968). Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), his home production, starred the three Ganguly brothers and Madhubala. Kumar played a car mechanic who has a romance with a city girl (Madhubala) and a car mechanic and there is a subplot involving the brothers.^[8]:29

Music director S. D. Burman is credited with spotting Kumar's talent for singing. During the making of Mashaal (1950), Burman visited Ashok's house, where he heard Kumar imitating K. L. Saigal. He complimented him and told him that he should develop a style of his own, instead of copying Saigal.^[6] Kumar eventually developed his own style of singing, which featured yodeling, which he had heard on the records of Tex Morton and Jimmie Rodgers.^[8]:60

Burman recorded with Kumar for Dev Anand's Munimji (1954), Taxi Driver (1954), House No. 44 (1955), Funtoosh (1956), Nau Do Gyarah (1957), Paying Guest (1957), Guide (1965), Jewel Thief (1967), Prem Pujari (1970), and Tere Mere Sapne (1971). He also composed music for Kumar's home production Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958). Some of their songs were; "Maana Janaab Ne Pukara Nahin" from Paying Guest, "Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke" from Nau Do Gyarah (1957), "Ai Meri Topi Palat Ke Aa" from Funtoosh, and "Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si" and "Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka" from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958).^[9] Asha Bhosle and Kumar performed duets composed by Burman including "Chhod Do Aanchal" from Paying Guest (1957), "Ankhon Mein Kya Ji" from Nau Do GyarahTemplate:Ankhon hi ankhon mein features Mohd Rafi and not Kishore Kumar (1957), "Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka" and "Paanch Rupaiya Baara Aana" from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and "Arre Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Gajab" from Teen Deviyan (1965).^[10]

Music director C. Ramchandra also recognized Kumar's talent as a singer.^[7] They collaborated on songs including "Eena Meena Deeka" from Aasha (1957). Kishore Kumar's work includes "Nakhrewaali" from New Delhi (1956) by Shankar Jaikishan, "C.A.T. Cat Maane Billi" and "Hum To Mohabbat Karega" from Dilli Ka Thug (1958) by Ravi, and "Chhedo Na Meri Zulfein" from Ganga Ki Lahren (1964) by Chitragupta.^{[citation needed]}

Kumar produced, directed, acted in composed the music for Jhumroo (1961), and wrote the lyrics for the film's title song, "Main Hoon Jhumroo". Later, he produced and directed Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964). He wrote the script and composed music for the film, which is about the relationship between a father (Kishore Kumar) and his deaf and mute son (played by his real-life son (Amit Kumar).^[11]:52

In the 1960s, as an actor, Kishore Kumar built up a notoriety for coming late for the shootings or bunking them altogether.^[12] His films flopped frequently and he landed in income tax trouble.^[6] As a singer, his work in this period includes "Zaroorat Hai Zaroorat Hai" from Manmauji (1961), "Gaata Rahe Mera Dil" from Guide (1965), and "Yeh Dil Na Hota Bechara" from Jewel Thief (1967).

In the late 1960s, Rahul Dev Burman worked with Kishore Kumar on the soundtrack of the film Padosan (1968), in which Kumar sang "Mere Saamne Wali Khidki Mein" and "Kehna Hai." Padosan was a comedy in which Kumar as a dramatist-musician, Mehmood as a Carnatic music and dance teacher, and Sunil Dutt as a simpleton named Bhola. Kumar's character was inspired by his uncle, Dhananjay Bannerjee, a classical singer.^[5] The highlight of the film was a musical, comical duel between Kishore Kumar-Sunil Dutt and Mehmood: "Ek Chatur Nar Karke Singaar."

In 1969, Shakti Samanta produced and directed Aradhana. He sang two songs in the film; "Meri Sapnon Ki Rani" and "Roop Tera Mastana". Shakti Samanta suggested that Kumar sing the other songs. When the film was released, Kumar's two songs established him as a leading Bollywood playback singer.^[13] Kishore Kumar won his first Filmfare award for"Roop Tera Mastana".^[11]:54

1970s and 1980s

In the 1970s and 1980s, Kumar sang for Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Vinod Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Rakesh Roshan, Dilip Kumar, Pran, Sachin, Vinod Mehra, Rajni Kanth,Chunky Pandey, Kumar Gaurav, Govinda and Jackie Shroff.^{[citation needed]}Renuprasad

S. D. Burman and Kumar continued to work together, including "Phoolon Ke Rang Se" and "Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye" from Prem Pujari (1969), "Aaj Madhosh Hua Jaaye Re," "Khilte Hain Gul Yahan" and "O Meri Sharmilee" from Sharmilee (1971), "Meet na mila" from Abhimaan (1973), and "Jeevan ki Bagiya mehkegi" from Tere Mere Sapne (1974). In 1975, S. D. Burman composed his last song for Kumar; "Badi Sooni Sooni Hai" for the film Mili.^[7]

R.D. Burman recorded several songs with Kumar in the 1970s, including "O Maajhi Re" from Khushboo, "Yeh Shaam Mastaani" and "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai" from Kati Patang (1971), "Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein Aayi" from Buddha Mil Gaya (1971) and "Chingari Koi Bhadke (Amar Prem)" and "Jab Bhi Koi Kangana" from Shaukeen (1986). Although he was not formally trained in the classical music, R.D. Burman often had Kumar sing semi-classical songs, such as "Hamein Tum Se Pyaar Kitna" from Kudrat and "Mere Naina Saawan Bhadon" from Mehbooba.^{[citation needed]}

R.D. Burman recorded several duets pairing Kumar with Asha Bhosle and with Lata Mangeshkar, including "Panna Ki Tamanna" from Heera Panna (1973), "Neend Chura Ke Raaton Mein" from the film Shareef Budmaash, "Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai" from Sanjay Dutt's debut film Rocky (1981), "Jaane Ja Dhoondta" and "Kharoshoo" from Harjai (1982).^{[citation needed]}

Apart from the Burmans, Kumar worked with other music directors. The composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal (L-P) composed many songs sung by him, including "Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi" from Mr. X In Bombay, "Mere Naseeb Mein Aye Dost" from Do Raaste, "Yeh Jeevan Hai" from Piya Ka Ghar, "Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai" from Daag, "Nahi Mai Nahi Dekh Sakta" from Majboor, "Mere diwanepan ki bhi" from Mehboob Ki Mehndi, "Naach Meri Bulbul" from Roti, "Chal Chal Mere Haathi" from Haathi Mere Saathi and "Tu Kitne Baras Ki" from Karz. L-P also worked with Kumar and Mohammed Rafi on duets for the films Dostana, Ram Balram and Deedaar-E-Yaar. L-P composed I love you (Kaate Nahin Katate Yeh Din Yeh Raat)" from Mr. India in (1987), a duet with Kumar and Alisha Chinoy. Salil Chowdhury recorded songs like "Koi Hota Jisko Apna" from Mere Apne and "Gujar Gaye Din Din" from Annadata. Ravindra Jain recorded "Ghungroo Ki Tarah" and the duets "Le Jaayenge Le Jaayenge" from Chor Machaye Shor and "Tota Maina Ki Kahani" from Fakira.^{[citation needed]}

Khaiyyaam recorded Kumar's duets with Lata Mangeshkar, including "Hazaar Raahein" from Thodisi Bewafaii and Aankhon Mein Humne Aapke Sapne Sajaye Hain, Chandani Raat Mein Ek Bar. Hridaynath Mangeshkar recorded Zindagi Aa Raha Hoon Main from Mashaal. Kalyanji Anandji recorded several songs with Kumar including Zindagi Ka Safar and Jeevan Se Bhari Teri Aankhein, from Safar, O Saathi Re from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Pal Bhar Ke Liye from Johny Mera Naam.^{[citation needed]}

Kumar worked with other composers including Rajesh Roshan, Sapan Chakraborty and Bappi Lahiri. Kumar sang Bhool Gaya Sab Kuchh (duet with Lata Mangeshkar) and Dil Kya Kare Jab Kisise for Rajesh Roshan's film Julie.^{[citation needed]} Their other songs include Yaadon Mein Woh from Swami, Chhookar Mere Man Ko Kiya Toone Kya Ishaara from Yaarana and Kahiye, Suniye (duet with Asha Bhosle) from Baton Baton Mein. Bappi Lahiri also recorded many songs with Kishore Kumar, including Pag Ghunghroo Bandh from Namak Halaal (1982), Manzilen Apni Jagah Hai from Sharaabi (1984) and Saason Se Nahi Kadmose Nahi from Mohabbat in (1987) and duets with (Lata Mangeshkar)) like Albela Mausamand Pyar Ka Tohfa from Tohfa (1985). Kishore and Bappi pair also recorded hits in Bengali, including Chirodini Tumi Je Amar from Amar Sangee (1987) and E Amar Gurudakshina from Gurudakshina (1987). Another Bengali Musician was Ajay Das who made many hit songs using Kishore Kumar's voice.^{[citation needed]}

During the Indian Emergency (1975–1977), Sanjay Gandhi asked Kumar to sing for an Indian National Congress rally in Mumbai, but he refused.^[14] As a result, Information and broadcasting minister Vidya Charan Shukla (1975–1977) put an unofficial ban on playing Kishore Kumar songs on state broadcasters All India Radio and Doordarshan from 4 May 1976 till the end of Emergency.^[15][16]

James Watt : The Father of the Industrial Revolution

James Watt was the father of the industrial revolution. His crucial role in transforming our world from one based on agriculture to one based on engineering and technology is recognized in the unit of power: the watt.

James Watt was born in 1736 in Greenock, Scotland. He was an inventor, engineer and scientist.

Humphry Davy, the chemist who discovered, isolated or first identified seven of the chemical elements said of Watt, who was already famous as an engineer:

“He was equally distinguished as a natural philosopher and chemist; his inventions demonstrate his profound knowledge of those sciences, and that peculiar characteristic of genius – the union of them for practical application.”

Quick Guide to James Watt’s Inventions and Discoveries

James Watt:

• radically improved the steam engine, starting the industrial revolution.

• continued to produce a stream of new ideas and inventions, which eventually resulted in an engine that needed 80% less fuel than earlier engines.

• invented high pressure steam engines capable of even higher efficiencies, but the technology of the time was not capable of operating them safely.

• introduced the word horsepower to describe an engine’s power output. Mostly, we now use watts to measure power, although engine power is still often rated in horsepower.

• was the first person to propose that water was made of hydrogen combined with oxygen.

• independently discovered the scientific concept of latent heat.

• invented the world’s first copying machine – similar in function to a photocopier – to make copies of correspondence, pages of books, and pictures.

Early Years

James Watt came from a successful family. His grandfather taught mathematics, and his father was a carpenter, who built ships.

His mother was well-educated, and intelligent. She taught him to read, while his father taught him arithmetic and writing. He excelled at math, science and engineering at high school, but his language skills were less impressive.

As a boy, James Watt’s health was often poor, and much of his learning took place at home, where he could watch the fishing boats coming into the port of Greenock and the big sailing ships bringing in tobacco from the Americas. One day, thanks to his inventive mind, ships like these would be powered by engines.

At eighteen, following the death of his mother, and a ship sinking that placed a financial burden on his family, James gave up his plans to go to university. Instead, he trained in London as a scientific instrument maker, specializing in mathematical and nautical instruments. Within two months, his skills were higher than others who had been in training for two years. His exceptional hand skills had previously been commented on by workers in his father’s shipyard in Greenock.

After a year in London, he found work at Glasgow University, repairing instruments for the astronomy department.

Making Friends, Building Knowledge, and Developing New Skills at Glasgow University

Watt’s instrument work was so good that the university’s professors wanted to keep him working there permanently, so they invited him to set up a workshop in the university.

The professors soon realized the young man in the workshop had a brain equal to their own. They began calling on him to discuss their work. Students of mathematics and physics found that Watt had learned more about their subjects than they had.

He also overcame his earlier poor language skills, teaching himself German and Italian in order to read more scientific literature.

At Glasgow University, James Watt became friends with Adam Smith, who founded the academic discipline of Economics and wrote The Wealth of Nations. He also became friends with the chemist Joseph Black, who discovered magnesium and, independently of Watt, invented the concept of latent heat.

In 1759, four years after his arrival in Glasgow, the 23 year-old James Watt became interested in steam engines.

This happened when another of his new friends at the university, Professor John Robinson discussed with Watt the possibility of a steam-driven car. Although their ideas for the car were impractical, a seed had been sown in Watt’s fertile mind.

Professor Robinson didn’t stand still either. He was the first person to publish an inverse-square law for electric forces, and he invented the siren.

The Coming of Steam

In 1763, aged 27, Watt came into contact with a working steam engine, the Newcomen engine. Professor John Anderson, who used the engine as a demonstration in his physics classes, needed it repaired. Watt did the repair, but was astonished at how little work the engine was able to do.

At that time, Newcomen engines had been used in Britain for 50 years, and no-one had found a way to improve them.

They worked on the principle that the piston in the cylinder would be driven in one direction by a jet of steam causing air in the cylinder to expand, then cold water would be injected in place of the steam to cool the air in the cylinder, creating a partial vacuum which pulled the piston back in the other direction, ready for the cycle to begin with the injection of hot steam.

Watt decided that he could make a better engine. He thought about little else, and experimented in his workshop with water and steam in metal vessels.

After two years of experimenting and thinking, Watt had his Eureka moment.

With his deep scientific understanding of the behavior of water and the principle of latent heat, he realized that the problem with the Newcomen steam engine was as follows: heat was being used by the engine to generate steam, but when the steam had done its work the cylinder was cooled down with water. Heating and cooling the same cylinder for every piston stroke was very costly in terms of energy needed to do it.

In Watt’s own words, slightly modernized:

The idea came into my mind that as steam was a gas it would rush into a vacuum, and if I linked the engine’s cylinder to a vessel at low pressure, the steam would rush into it. The steam would condense there and it wouldn’t cool the engine-cylinder. I then saw that I must get rid of the condensed steam from the cylinder.

Watt redesigned the engine. His idea was that air pressure would push the piston into a partial vacuum generated when steam condenses into liquid water. The steam turned into water in Watt’s condenser, which was surrounded by cold water.

The process was helped by a vacuum pump connected to the condenser which took the hot water made by the condensing steam and conveyed it back, still hot, to the boiler ready to be turned back into steam.

While keeping the condenser cold, Watt had also realized the importance of keeping the piston/working cylinder hot: he surrounded these with a hot steam jacket.

By the end of 1765, a 29 year-old Watt had built his first small-scale steam engine, featuring a separate condensing chamber, and a steam jacket. The start of industrial revolution was getting closer, but had not yet begun.

A Boulton & Watt engine in Birmingham, England, built during Watt’s lifetime in 1817. Image by Chris Allen.

From Small-Scale Engines to Industrial Superpower

Watt owned one of the most important patents in human history. He sold it to John Roebuck, whose factory went bankrupt.

Matthew Boulton of Birmingham bought the patent rights to Watt’s steam engine.

In 1775, Watt celebrated his 39th birthday and began a highly successful 25 year partnership with Boulton. The partnership was a perfect combination of Watt’s scientific and engineering ingenuity and Boulton’s factory and commercial skills.

Eleven years after Watt built his first small-scale steam engine, his engines began to be installed to pump water out of mines. The annual fee the mine owners paid for the machines was one-third of the value of the fuel savings the machines made.

News of the new super-efficient engines spread fast, and with the coming of Watt’s steam engines, the industrial revolution began.

Watt and Boulton’s success did have a few hiccups along the way. In 1791, they had to arm their workers against a four day riot in which scientists and intellectuals were a specific target.

As the years passed, Boulton & Watt engines found their way into ever more applications, and the United Kingdom was gripped by the industrial revolution. Boulton and Watt began exporting their new technology all over the world.

The new industries began releasing larger amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previous human actions had. This trend continues today.

The End, But Not Before Another Crucial New Engine Design!

In 1800, aged 64, and very wealthy, Watt retired. His patent had expired, and he and Matthew Boulton passed their partnership to their sons, James Watt Junior, and Matthew Robinson Boulton, who continued it successfully.

Watt continued with research work in his retirement. He patented his copying machine, the double-action engine, the rotary engine, and the steam pressure indicator.

The rotary engine was crucial, because it enabled engines to drive wheels rather than the simpler up-down pumping motion of earlier machines.

James Watt died in 1819, aged 83. His mental power had not declined. His mind was razor sharp to the end.