Playback singer Amit Kumar opened up about songs, music, career, and his iconic father Kishore Kumar's illustrious musical history in an exclusive flashback conversation with Lehren. The musician expressed his appreciation to some of the industry's best music directors, including R.D. Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, and Kalyanji-Anandji, for working with him on a number of incredible hits. Along with discussing his popular songs from movies like Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Amit also shared information about his singing technique. As the latter had lasted the longest since the 1970s, Kumar revealed how songs and music had evolved over the years in the industry. Amit Kumar, the kind and cheerful guy, also expressed his preference to perform live because it provided a chance to interact with an audience directly.
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00:00Everyone will say, he sings like Kishore Kumar.
00:02He sings like Kishore Kumar, he is not Kishore Kumar.
00:05I was wrongly accused of being greedy,
00:08that I am moody and I don't reach the recording.
00:11Because everything is wrong.
00:14I would call the 70s as the golden period of music.
00:17It was good till the 80s.
00:18After that, something changed.
00:21The generation changed.
00:23I would love to sing, sing, sing till my dying day.
00:27Keep singing, that's it.
00:30What can I say about myself?
00:36I have been in this small industry for many years.
00:43When I started in 1974,
00:47the environment was different.
00:52There were big singers like Rafi Sahib,
00:55my father, Mukeshji, Manada, Mahendra Kapoor,
00:59Lata Bhai, Asha Bhai.
01:02Since then, I have seen a lot in these 25-30 years.
01:12I consider myself very fortunate
01:20that I worked with such good musicians.
01:24For example, Rahul Dev Burman gave me the opportunity.
01:34Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji Anandji, Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan,
01:41I worked with all of them.
01:43My first hit film,
01:51when I reached the top,
01:56that was in 1981-82,
02:00when the love story of Kumar Gaurav, Rajendra Kumar, was released.
02:04All the songs became a super hit.
02:06Since then, I have sung a lot of songs.
02:10I sang the song, Teri Kasam,
02:14and Panchamda.
02:27When my father passed away in 1987,
02:32from 1987 to 1991,
02:36I kept singing.
02:40Lakshmiji backed me a lot.
02:43I worked with all the music directors, including Panchamda.
02:48From 1991-92,
02:51things changed a bit.
02:56I think this happens with every artist.
03:03Like they say, get down, get up.
03:05This happened with me too.
03:07I moved back a little.
03:13Maybe I took the driver's seat.
03:15I sat back.
03:16I was watching the scene.
03:18For three years, I sang very few songs.
03:231992-1994.
03:26For three to four years,
03:29I sang songs in very few films.
03:33My last hit song was from Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na.
03:42After that, I tried.
03:47But as they say, time changes.
03:51The whole atmosphere changed.
03:53The music scene changed.
03:55And,
03:57I was accused of being greedy.
04:03I am a moody person.
04:05I don't reach the recording.
04:07It's all wrong.
04:09And,
04:11I would say, this is destiny.
04:14I believe in destiny.
04:16Because no matter how hard you try,
04:19it doesn't happen.
04:21Since last year,
04:24middle of 1997,
04:26things have started shaping again very well.
04:31My car started again.
04:35I have sung many songs since then.
04:39And,
04:41I am thankful to my secretary, Shubhrato.
04:46He is a very hardworking man.
04:49He does a good job.
04:52In the industry,
04:54it is very important to meet everyone.
04:57He does a good job of fielding.
05:02And,
05:08since the middle of 1997,
05:11I have started singing many songs.
05:15Last year, I recorded a couple of songs.
05:17We started with Bade Miya, Chhote Miya.
05:20It was Viju Shah's music.
05:27It had good songs.
05:28I haven't heard the songs yet.
05:30Because Viju is very strict.
05:32He never allows me to give cassettes.
05:38I am banking on one film.
05:41In the sense,
05:43I hope that when the film is released,
05:46it will be good for me and everyone.
05:51The film is also very good.
05:55I am talking about Love Area.
05:57It has Jatin Lalit's music.
05:59I have sung 3-4 songs.
06:01I am sure these songs will turn the table.
06:05I am waiting for Love Area.
06:09Besides Love Area,
06:11I have sung Silsila Hai Pyar Ka.
06:15Today, I am singing
06:17Western Outdoors'
06:19Other Part of the Horizon.
06:23The film Jeetenge Hum.
06:27The music is by Viju Shah.
06:29It is a good song.
06:30It is a mix of Rajasthani and Punjabi.
06:33It is a good song.
06:37The lyrics are written by Dev Kohli.
06:39Viju's music is very good.
06:42I have just sung it.
06:44I am sure that this song is also going to,
06:48hopefully,
06:53reach the top of the charts
06:56when it is released.
06:59I have started doing shows since January-February.
07:05I have done a lot of shows in Bombay,
07:07through J-Abbas.
07:09Besides Bombay,
07:11I have been doing shows outside Bombay.
07:14I have been doing shows since my father's time.
07:17I enjoy doing shows
07:19because I get to interact with the audience.
07:22It is a great pleasure.
07:24It is a great pleasure.
07:26And,
07:30you can ask me.
07:32As a singer,
07:34what kind of songs do you prefer?
07:36In films?
07:38Films.
07:40Look,
07:42I have seen three decades.
07:46I have seen three decades since my childhood.
07:4960s,
07:5150s, 60s, 70s,
07:5380s,
07:55and 90s.
07:57So, the way it is going on,
07:59according to me,
08:01one should mould with time.
08:03I am not talking about good or bad.
08:05The way it is going on,
08:07I have to take it accordingly.
08:09This is one thing.
08:11I am not being biased.
08:13I am being very honest.
08:15I have to do what is going on.
08:17But,
08:19definitely,
08:21I used to do music.
08:23I used to do it in the 60s, 70s.
08:25I would call the 70s the golden period of music.
08:29It was good till the 80s.
08:31After that,
08:33something changed.
08:35The generation changed.
08:37So,
08:39the harmony in music,
08:41the harmony,
08:43was lost.
08:45So, that harmony has to come back.
08:47Which is missing today, I feel.
08:49This is my personal feeling as an audience.
08:53Harmony is very essential
08:55in a song, in a composition.
08:57Which I believe.
08:59Like you said,
09:01what type of songs do you like?
09:03So, definitely, the song which has
09:05melody,
09:07lyrics, lyrical value,
09:11meaningful lyrics,
09:13let it be.
09:15It is not that the songs are sad.
09:17It is not that the songs are exciting.
09:19But, it should be presented well.
09:21It should have good lyrics.
09:23Music should be good.
09:25Acoustic playing should be more.
09:27Now, we are focusing more on techno music.
09:31Generally, all over the world,
09:33techno is going on.
09:35You can't help it.
09:37Everyone has to survive.
09:39But, techno music,
09:41doesn't seem good for a long time.
09:43It seems artificial.
09:45Here, a guitarist
09:47will play the guitar by himself.
09:49A violinist will play the violin.
09:53A tabla player will play the tabla.
09:55It comes out more.
09:57But, we are totally depending on
09:59these
10:01keyboards, synthesizers,
10:03electronics, techno.
10:05Which is good.
10:07In the sense,
10:09I am not saying that we deny it.
10:11Because, you get a lot of help.
10:13Technologically,
10:15we have advanced a lot.
10:17But, still, creativity
10:19has reduced.
10:21That is because,
10:23we are depending
10:25so much on it.
10:27We are not using
10:29our own brains properly.
10:31The way it used to be.
10:33I think,
10:35most of my audiences,
10:37my fans will agree to this.
10:39Anyway,
10:41as the wind blows,
10:43we will have to
10:45move towards it.
10:47Times have changed.
10:49It is no more
10:51the old times.
10:53It is not what it used to be.
10:55You normally go for a melody.
10:57It is only to
10:59keep up the trend.
11:05Ever since I was a child,
11:07my parents
11:09were born in music.
11:11I am lucky
11:13that my mother
11:15sings very well.
11:17My father,
11:19he was one of a kind.
11:21So, my environment
11:23since childhood,
11:25in music,
11:27as they told me,
11:29listen to this.
11:31In classical,
11:33light classical,
11:35I listen to Gulam Ali Khan,
11:37Aamir Khan,
11:39Abdul Kareem,
11:41Begum Akhtar.
11:43So,
11:45I mean to say,
11:47in western,
11:49since childhood,
11:51Frank Sinatra,
11:53Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Beatles.
11:55So, all these
11:57classes,
11:59I have listened to them.
12:01They have
12:03made me understand.
12:05So, I cannot forget them.
12:07So, my kind of music,
12:09when I compose,
12:11there is a little bit of smell
12:13or flavor.
12:15So,
12:17like you said,
12:19in a pop album,
12:21I just want to know,
12:23what did you ask?
12:25I normally go for a melody.
12:27It is only to keep up the trend.
12:29Now,
12:31I love jazz.
12:33Since childhood,
12:35I have liked jazz a lot.
12:37So, in my compositions,
12:39there is mostly a flavor of jazz.
12:41Because jazz is the king.
12:43I am talking about western.
12:45But in jazz, there will be a melody.
12:47And,
12:49there will be a little bit
12:51of off-beat.
12:53It will be colorful.
12:55It should not be a three-note song.
12:57Dan-da-da-dan-da-dan
12:59Dan-da-da-dan-da-dan
13:01Dan-da-da-dan-da-dan
13:03It should be something, you know.
13:05It should move.
13:07The song should move.
13:09The composition should move.
13:11Now, everyone will say that
13:13you compose
13:15a little bit high-flung.
13:17Why not high-flung?
13:19So, that's why I said
13:21that I would rather be a crusader
13:23if you take me
13:25if you take me as a composer.
13:27Otherwise, I am available
13:29for everyone.
13:31My fans, my music directors,
13:33producers.
13:35I would love to sing,
13:37but I love to compose at the same time.
13:39Do you want to direct any music
13:41in the future?
13:45I
13:49don't have time
13:51to give music
13:53in the future.
13:55You need a
13:57separate time for it in the sense
13:59lot of patience.
14:01Right now,
14:03I am focusing more on songs.
14:05And
14:07I would love to sing
14:09with all my
14:11colleagues, music directors.
14:13Regarding music,
14:15I haven't thought about it.
14:17Maybe if I get an offer later on.
14:19Not at the moment.
14:21Private albums,
14:23I would love to do it.
14:25Private album is a different thing.
14:27Music director in films
14:29is totally different.
14:31Because then you have to cater
14:33to the demands of the producers.
14:35It won't work.
14:37So, it's better I remain a singer.
14:39Singing is fine.
14:43What about the busy directors?
14:45Like Adil Srivastav,
14:47the new directors.
14:49Today's musicians
14:51are all talented.
14:53Adil Srivastav
14:55is a good musician and drummer.
14:57Very talented. I have sung for him also.
14:59Actually, he made me sing
15:01in a film
15:05recently.
15:07Which film was it?
15:09N. Chandra's film.
15:11Govinda.
15:13Shikari.
15:17He is very talented.
15:21Then, Viju.
15:23Regarding Viju,
15:25he is very organized.
15:27He does his homework well.
15:29The song I sang today,
15:31it took at least
15:332 hours.
15:35I had to sing for 2 hours.
15:37I couldn't sing for 4-5 hours.
15:39Although, the song was
15:41very good.
15:47There was a lot to do.
15:49Because of his
15:51proper homework,
15:53Viju is a wonderful
15:55person and a fantastic
15:57player.
15:59We get along very well.
16:03I sang with Jatin Lalit
16:05for Silsila Hai Pyaar.
16:07Love Area. Very talented guys.
16:11Their kind of music is
16:17There is one thing
16:19which I like about Jatin Lalit.
16:21They certainly use
16:23the harmony side.
16:25And Dilip Sen.
16:27Sameer Sen.
16:31His style is
16:33I sang a song
16:35in Anadi No. 1
16:37for Govinda.
16:39He sang it very well.
16:41It's a great song.
16:51Last year,
16:53I got a chance
16:55to give a playback
16:57for a very famous person.
16:59I am talking about
17:01Dilip Kumar.
17:03I gave a playback for him
17:05for the first time in the film Keela.
17:09The song played well.
17:11The film didn't play.
17:13But the song did well.
17:15When I do stage shows,
17:17when I sing this song,
17:19I get a lot of feedback.
17:21Anand Raj Anand's music
17:23is also very good.
17:25He is a very good musician.
17:29I have worked with him.
17:31I have already worked with
17:33Anu Malik.
17:35In the near future,
17:37I would love to work with all the music directors.
17:39I would love to sing, sing, sing
17:41till my dying day.
17:43Keep singing.
17:45Like your father.
17:47My father...
17:49I am here
17:51because of my father.
17:53Not just me,
17:55there are so many artists
17:57all over India.
17:59He is no more. It's been 11 years.
18:01But his style
18:03is still going on.
18:05So,
18:09I feel very
18:13proud
18:15to be his son.
18:17Even if I am
18:19compared with that great man,
18:21I don't mind because he is my father.
18:27I can only say one thing
18:31about him.
18:33He always used to tell me
18:35that you will also sing,
18:37but as much as you can,
18:41don't try to copy me.
18:43Because you have to surpass me.
18:47Either you have to make your own style.
18:49For that,
18:51you have a voice.
18:53You have a potential. You have a good voice.
18:55But how to
18:57sing?
18:59Everyone will say,
19:01you sing like Kishore Kumar.
19:03Kishore Kumar doesn't exist.
19:05So, I will get the applause, not you.
19:07He always used to tell me
19:09to make my own style.
19:11That can only happen
19:13when you practice
19:15with all your heart.
19:17And that is what is happening.
19:19Today, I practice. I enjoy.
19:2115 years ago, I never used to enjoy.
19:23Today, I enjoy.
19:25Today, I miss him.
19:27When I sing in front of the mic,
19:29he used to tell me
19:31that you have to improve.
19:33You have to
19:35cultivate your voice.
19:37You just can't sing in front of the mic.
19:39You have to work hard.
19:41And I am trying.
19:43I am trying my best.
19:45I would like to thank my viewers,
19:47my fans,
19:49my well-wishers.
19:51I would like to say that
19:53music is life.
19:55Life is music.
19:57But, please
19:59try to change
20:01the taste.
20:03Try to go in for good music.
20:05And
20:07you people
20:09I mean
20:11you people
20:13will love us
20:15and we will work
20:17in the same way.
20:19But, what I want to say
20:21is that good music
20:23is very important.
20:25Good lyrics, meaningful lyrics,
20:27harmony,
20:29melody should come back.
20:31What is going on
20:33is going to continue.
20:35But, there is no fun in it.
20:37There is fun in it.
20:39Listen to old songs.
20:41Old songs are still last.
20:43But, today's music
20:45I am sorry to say
20:47two months at the most.
20:49Two months.
20:51This should not happen.
20:53People should again
20:55start creating. People should forget
20:57this. Depend on this keyboard.
20:59They should start creating.
21:01And they can.
21:03Everyone can do it.
21:05So, in a way
21:07I would say technology
21:09is helping
21:11and at the same time it is destroying.
21:13May God save music.
21:15Namaskar.
21:23Thank you.