Abhas Kumar Ganguly was born in Khandwa, now in Madhya Pradesh, to Kunjilal Ganguly, a Brahmin lawyer by profession, and Gouri Devi, both of whom came from wealthy landowning families. Kishore was the youngest in the Ganguly family, preceded by Ashok, Sati, & Anoop. While Kishore was still a child, his brother Ashok became a Bollywood actor. Later, Anoop also ventured into cinema with Ashok's help. Post Ashok Kumar's stardom, the Ganguly family shifted base to Mumbai. This was also the time when Abhas Kumar Ganguly changed his name to Kishore Kumar. His first venture into the big cinema career was as a chorus singer in the film "Bombay Talkies". His first film as an actor was in the film called "Shikari" which was released in the year 1946, wherein Ashok Kumar was the lead hero. In 1948, Kishore Kumar got a chance to sing the song "Marne Ki Duayen Kyon Mangu" for the film "Ziddi". After this, he got many other assignments, but he was not very serious about a film career. Although his films flopped initially, he achieved success as a comic hero with movies like "New Delhi", "Half Ticket" and "Padosan". All the praise and honor for his acting skills was still not the platform for his successful throne. He achieved his varied and unrivalled fame only after he was recognized as an established singer. Spending time with his brothers, Kishore became interested in films and music. He became a fan of singer-actor K. L. Saigal—whom he considered his vocal guru—and tried to emulate his singing style.The popular music director Sachin Dev Burman, who was impressed by his singing skills, advised him not to copy Saigal but develop and condense his own style. Kishore kept this advice in mind and eventually developed his own style of singing, prominently featuring the yodelling that he had heard on some records bought by his brother Anoop. In the Bollywood music circles, yodelling became Kishore's trademark.
With time, music directors started recognizing the potential of Kishore Kumar and he became one of the leading singers in the Indian film industry. The 1960s was a lean patch in Kumar's career graph. Most of his films bombed at the box office. However, in 1969 the tables turned once again, as R. D. Burman took over the recording initiatives after S. D. Burman fell ill for the film "Aradhana". R. D. Burman deployed Kishore Kumar to sing the songs "Mere Sapno Ki Rani" and "Roop Tera Mastana", both of which gained instant recognition and success at the box-office. Kishore Kumar also won his first Filmfare award for the song "Roop Tera Mastana". During the 1970s and 1980s, he sang for Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff.
With R. D. Burman, Kishore delivered great hits "O Maanjhi Re" from Khushboo, "Yeh Shaam Mastaani" and "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai" from Kati Patang (1971), "Kuchh To Log Kahenge" from Amar Prem (1972), "Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein Aayi" from Buddha Mil Gaya (1971), "Musafir Hoon Yaaron" from Parichay (1972), "Diye Jalte Hain" from Namak Haraam (1973), "Meri Bheegi Bheegi Si" from Anamika (1973), "Zindagi Ke Safar Mein" from Aap Ki Kasam (1974), "Agar Tum Na Hote", "Humein Tum Se Pyaar Kitna" from Kudrat, "Mere Naina Saawan Bhadon" from Mehbooba, and "Chingari Koi Bhadke" (Amar Prem), "Jab Bhi Koi Kangana" from Shaukeen. Apart from the Burmans, Kishore Kumar worked with other music directors such as Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rajesh Roshan, Sapan Chakravarty, and Bappi Lahiri.
His low-profile marriages to some of the most popular and attractive Bollywood actresses (Madhubala, Yogeeta Bali, Leena Chandavarkar) raised eyebrows, but added to his witty, eccentric persona although close friends and colleagues remember him as being reticent and sentimental.
During the Indian Emergency in 1975-77, Kishore refused to sing for Indira Gandhi's 'Emergency Propaganda'. In retaliation, she banned his songs on all national media. When Amitabh Bachchan refused to do a guest appearance in a film produced by him, Kishore stopped singing for the actor, which affected the latter's future film endeavours immensely. By the late 1980s, Kishore had grown tired of the type of songs he was singing and decided to retire from the industry. Later in the 1970s and early 1980s, Kishore Kumar produced and directed movies such as "Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi" (1978), "Zindagi" (1981) and "Door Wadiyon Mein Kahin" (1980). His last appearance as an actor was in "Door Wadiyon Mein Kahin". In the mid-1980s, Kishore Kumar sang for Anil Kapoor in Kapoor's debut film as a leading man, "Woh Saat Din" and also recorded "Mr. India". He sang a duet with Alka Yagnik, "Tumse Badhkar Duniya Mein Na Dekha" for "Kaamchor". He also recorded some songs for the film "Saagar" with R. D. Burman.
On October 13th 1987, co-incidentally also the birthday of his elder brother Ashok Kumar, Kishore suffered a heart attack and breathed his last. His untimely and unexpected death shocked the entire nation. He left behind a rich vocal and visual legacy and millions of fans who still prefer his rich-coffee baritones over present-day playback singers.
Koi Lauta de Mere
Kishore Kumar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
haay! kahaan gaye, haay! kahaan gaye
aankhon ke ujiyaare
meri sooni aankhon ke taare
hay kahan gaye
Koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
O mere khwaabon ke mahal, mere sapnon ke nagar
pee liyaa jinke liye, maine jeewan ka zahar
mere khwaabon ke mahal, mere sapnon ke nagar
pee liyaa jinke liye, maine jeewan ka zahar
aaj main dhoondhoon kahan kho gaye jaane kidhar
aaj main dhoondhoon kahan kho gaye jaane kidhar
beete huye din haay wo palchin
koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
O main akelaa to na tha, the mere saathi kayi
ek aandhi si uthi, jo bhi thaa leke gayi
main akelaa to na tha, the mere saathi kayi
ek aandhi si uthi, jo bhi thaa leke gayi
aise bhi din the kabhi meri duniya thi meri
aise bhi din the kabhi meri duniya thi meri
beete huye din wo haay pyaare palchin
koyi lautaa de mere, beete hue din
koyi lautaa de mere, beete hue din
beete huye din wo mere, pyaare pal chhin
koyi lautaa de mere, beete hue din
The lyrics of Kishore Kumar's song Koi Lauta De Mere speak to the feeling of loss and longing for a past that can never be regained. The opening lines refer to the days that were filled with light and happiness, and the accompanying pain of having lost these days, the source of comfort that had once been present in the singer's life. The singer reminisces about the happy times that have been replaced by moments of loneliness and darkness, emphasizing the need to retrieve the past with the repeated plea for someone to return the lost days. The song also touches upon the theme of companionship and how the singer had once enjoyed the company of many, but now finds himself alone, with the symphony of memories, and a yearning to relive them.
The song has an undertone of desperation, as the singer struggles with the realization that he can never go back to what he once had. The palace of dreams and city of aspirations that once welcomed and sustained the singer have faded, and he now finds himself wandering in the wilderness of the present, looking for a way back. The song's mournful mood is reflected in the melody, which is characterized by slow, melodious instrumentals that lend themselves to the songs melancholic lyrics, beautiful in their simplicity and heartfelt expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Albele din pyaare, mere bichhde saath sahaare
Oh beautiful days, with my departed ones for support,
Where have they gone, where have they gone,
The brightness of my eyes,
Stars of my empty eyes
Where have they gone
Koyi lautaa de mere, beete huye din
Someone bring back my past days,
Someone bring back my past days,
My dear moments that have passed away,
Someone bring back my past days,
Someone bring back my past days
O mere khwaabon ke mahal, mere sapnon ke nagar
Oh my dream palace, city of my dreams,
For whom I had drunk the poison of life,
Oh my dream palace, city of my dreams,
Where have they gone, where were they lost,
Those sweet moments of my life
Someone bring back my past days,
Someone bring back my past days
O main akelaa to na tha, the mere saathi kayi
Oh I was never alone, I had many companions,
A storm arose and took everything away,
Oh I was never alone, I had many companions,
There were times when my world was mine,
Those sweet moments of my life,
Someone bring back my past days,
Someone bring back my past days
beete huye din wo mere, pyaare pal chhin
Those moments of the past that I cherished so deeply,
Those dear times that have passed away,
Someone bring back my past days,
Someone bring back my past days
Contributed by Juliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.