KISHORE KUMAR BIOGRAPHY

Date of Birth
4 August 1929, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India

Date of Death
13 October 1987, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (heart attack) 

Birth Name

Abhas Kumar Kunjilal Ganguly

Height 
5' 8½" (1.74 m)

Kishore Kumar was an actor, and playback singer in Bollywood films.  He was most active from 1949 until his death in 1987.  He was famous for singing upbeat light songs, and light comical acting roles.  However in his long career, he worked in almost every capacity in the film industry; not only as a a singer and actor but as a screenwriter, producer, director, and script writer.

Kishore Kumar was born Abhas Kumar Ganguly on August 4, 1929 in Khandwa (present day Madhya Pradesh).  Although this is a Hindi speaking area he was a Bengali.  His father was a lawyer named was Kunjilal, and his mother's name was Gouri Devi.  He was one of four children.  He had two older brothers named Ashok Kumar and Anoop Kumar, and a younger sister named Sati.
Kishore Kumar's entrance to the film industry was very different from most people.  Most of the famous playback singers struggled hard to find a position and struggled equally hard, often unsuccessfully to retain that position.  However Kishore Kumar easily slid into the film industry without any real effort.  The reason for this was through the influence of his elder brother Ashok Kumar.

he young Kishore and his family used to visit Ashok Kumar in Bombay very often.  There was 18 years difference between Ashok and Kishore, so the elder Ashok was well established in the film field while Kishore was still just a kid.  Due to his brother's connections, Kishore was able to secure odd positions at an early age.  When quite young he became a chorus singer for Bombay Talkies, where his brother Ashok worked.  This was in spite of the fact that Kishore never had any formal training in music.  Several other films also came his way.  Kishore got his first role in "Shikari" (1946); he was only about 17 at the time.  He was also hired by Khemchand Prakash to sing a song for the film "Ziddi" (1948).  These were just odd assignments, Kishore was still with his family then and not in Bombay where the Hindi film industry was centred.
Kishore Kumar never had any formal musical training but this did not stop him.  In his career he showed proficiency in a variety of musical styles.  Furthermore he was able to pick up the piano and played it well.

Kishore Kumar live studio recording