Senior journalist and noted art critic Vinay Upadhyay said Kishore Kumar was an artist of a stature as vast as a great ocean and as towering as the Himalayas. He said Kishore Kumar had a remarkable command over all areas of film-making, including singing, acting, writing and direction. He was an all-round artist and a fine human being.
Upadhyay said Kishore Kumar’s bond with his birthplace Khandwa and his friends there was very deep. Despite reaching the pinnacle of the world of cinema, he had expressed the wish that even after his death his last rites should be performed in Khandwa. After his demise, a memorial was also built in Khandwa. He remains close to his city and to his admirers, Upadhyay said.
He was speaking at a dialogue organised by the Department of Cinema and Advertising and Public Relations at MCU, where Kishore Da was remembered. Upadhyay said Kishore Kumar’s birthplace Khandwa is an abode of voices. The town has been associated with immortal freedom fighter and editor Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi, Sant Singa, and the famous singer and artist Kishore Kumar. All of them remained connected to the soil of Khandwa.
Recalling Kishore Kumar’s journey to Bombay, Upadhyay said he always remained rooted in his land. Even after reaching the top in the film industry, Khandwa always stayed alive in his memory. Whenever he came to Khandwa, he spent time with his closest friends. Kishore Da would often narrate songs and film anecdotes to his friends.
Upadhyay said Kishore Kumar has always remained in the memories of Khandwa as well. In the city, an auditorium named Gaurikunj has been built in the name of his mother and father, and there is also a memorial to Kishore Da. His admirers visit the memorial, where his songs and films are played.
Vinay Upadhyay narrated several episodes from Kishore Kumar’s school days to his move to Mumbai, his rise in the world of singing, and his success as a film producer and director. He said Kishore Da was the first and unique singer to use yodelling in playback singing. He also recounted an anecdote from Kishore Da’s film Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, saying Kishore Da was an extremely imaginative person.
On the occasion, university Vice-Chancellor Vijay Manohar Tiwari said Kishore Kumar can never be forgotten in cinematic memory. He said Kishore Kumar became a brilliant singer without any formal training in music. His singing and acting are immortal, he said, while also referring to Kishore Da’s songs in films such as Aandhi and Daag.
Department head Dr Pavitra Srivastava introduced the subject and proposed the vote of thanks to the guests. The programme was conducted by Dr Vishakha Rajurkar of the department. Students and faculty members of the departments were present at the programme.
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