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‹ The template below (Cleanup) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus.›Amit Kumar (born 3 July 1952) is an Indian film playback singer, actor, director, and music director. He is the son of famous singer and actor Kishore Kumar and 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 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 his son was singing 'filmy' songs. Hearing this Kishore Kumar decided to bring him to Bombay.
Before this, Kishore Kumar had made Amit act as his own son in two of his critically acclaimed and rare serious films, produced by himself, Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (the famous song 'Aa chalke tujhe, mein leke chaloon' sung by Kishore Kumar was filmed with him singing to his son, all of 11 years) and Door Ka Raahi (with Amit as a teenager).
He has sung many popular Bollywood and regional film songs since the 1970s.
Apart from Hindi songs Amit sang several songs in Bangla, Bhojpuri, Oriya, Assamese, Marathi, Konkani. It proves his capability as a versatile singer.
1970s
Amit Kumar made his debut in singing and as a child actor in his father's movie Door Ka Raahi. He recorded a song ‘Main ik panchi matwaala re’ as child singer artist. This song was removed from the film later by Kishore Kumar.
In 1976 the film Balika Badhu (1976) with the song ‘Bade achchhe lagte hain..’ brought him on the tinsel town big stage. This song can easily be kept in some of the best melodies of all times. The song was composed by legendary R. D. Burman. After that he recorded many songs with R. D. Burman.
In late 70s he sang few songs for various films. The song ‘Aati rahengi baharein’ from the film Kasme Vaade was a huge hit. He sang for Randhir Kapoor in this song while Kishore Kumar sang for Amitabh Bachchan.
He sang many hit songs in the films like Aandhi, Aap Ke Deewane, Khatta Meetha, Gol Maal, Des Pardes, Ganga Ki Saugandh, Deewanagi, Duniya Meri Jeb Mein, Parvarish, Baton Baton Mein etc. The duet song with Lata Mangeshkar from the film Baton Baton Mein ‘Uthe sabke kadam’ was quite popular.
As a leading playback singer in Bollywood, he sang many songs for Kumar Gaurav who was a new star in the 1980s. But his maximum number of songs are recorded and released for Anil Kapoor.
1980s
1980s started with a bang for Amit with mega hit film Love Story (1981 film). He sang all the songs of the film and got his Filmfare Award for the duet ‘Yaad aa rahi 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 (1980 film). There was a song ‘Laila o Laila’ in this film that became a really big hit. Amit Kumar rendered his voice for this song for Amjad Khan.
His duet song ‘Tu rootha toh main ro doongi sanam’ with Asha Bhonsle from the film Jawani (1984) in the year 1984 composed by R. D. Burman was mega hit. Another chart-buster from 1983 from the film Haadsaa was ‘Yeh Bombay shehar haadsoon ka sheher hai’. This song was super hit.
In this decade, he sang 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 (1983 film), Teri Kasam, Lovers (1983 film), All rounder, Telefilm-Janam, etc. In this decade he sang super hits for Anil Kapoor in the films like Tezaab, Yudh etc.
The song from Tridev filmed on Naseeruddin Shah ‘Oye oye- Tirchi topi waaley’ was such a huge nationwide hit that it became the second identity of Naseer. Amit sang for Naseeruddin Shah in the film Hero Hiralal too.
Soon after his father's death, he, along with his half-brother Sumit Kumar, released an album called "Dui Kishore" as a tribute to Kishore Kumar.
Early 1990s to Mid 1990s
1990 started with films like Hum and the song ‘Sanam mere sanam’ brought another big hit for Amit. Baaghi: A Rebel for Love had a smash hit in the song ‘Kaisa lagta hai’. From the film Ghayal (1990 film) the song ‘Pyaar tum mujhase’ was popular.
Amit delivered more hits for the film Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. The songs ‘Deewana dil deewana’ and ‘Sachhi yeh kahani hai’ were hits, especially the former.
In this decade, he sang for some other hit films too like Awwal Number, ChaalBaaz, Khel (1992 film), Vishwatma, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Judaai (1997 film), Indrajeet etc.
Amit Kumar enjoyed a special work relation with music duo Anand-Milind who heavily promoted Amit kumar in the early 1990s. Some of their best works include Baaghi: A Rebel for Love, Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hain, Maha-Sangram, Swarg, Suryavanshi, Anjaane Rishtey, Talaashi, Jawani Zindabad, Sangdil Sanam, Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin & Rakhwala to name a few. Anand-Milind were one of the few new age music composers of that period who regularly recorded with Amit Kumar, making him the voice for Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.
Amit Kumar also enjoyed success with another fresh talent from the 1990s, Jatin-Lalit, who had Amit Kumar croon hit numbers in several films like Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham....
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 busier in live stage performances in various parts of the world.
In this phase, Amit lost out to sing for R. D. Burman's last mega hit 1942: A Love Story. 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.
During these years, he composed and released music albums which were not much successful. Some of these are:
MAD (album)|MADPyaar toh bas pyaar haiDam dama damSome 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 on this front was elusive.
Television
In late 1980s, he rendered his voice to TV serials on Doordarshan such as "Chuanuti" and "Campus".He also did songs for the Telefilm Janam.He also sang the title tracks for Hindi dubbed version of Disney's Animated series "Duck Tales" and "Bob the Builder".Amit Kumar was one of the main judges in a recently concluded (May 2008) singing competition reality TV show "K for Kishore", where singers tried to recreate the magic of Kishore Kumar's songs on Sony Entertainment Television Asia.2000-2010
He will be the main judge in the singing competition on Zee Bangla TV for the show: "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Mr/Miss Universe 2010".He also sang two songs in Raju Chacha starring Ajay Devgan, Kajol and Rishi Kapoor - 'Dil dil ka yeh kaam hai' & 'Kahin se ayi Rani'.He sang Tigde Tigde with Neetha Subhir for Kandahar starring Mohanlal and Amitabh Bachchan.Bangla-Hindi Connection
Not many people would know that one of the most popular duet songs of Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar 'Kya yehi pyaar hai' from Rocky (1981 film), the debut film of Sanjay Dutt, composed by legendary R. D. Burman was initially sung by none other than Amit Kumar in Bangla film.
There are seven songs sung by Amit and his father separately. All Bangla songs were sung by Amit and their Hindi versions were sung by Kishore. Songs are given below :-
Acting Stint
Amit Kumar also acted in films which were directed by and starred his father. His notable ones were Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964), Door Ka Raahi (1971), Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974) and Shabhash Daddy (1979).
Amit Kumar Filmography
See Amit Kumar Filmography
