Asha Bhosle on Kishore Kumar
Asha Bhosle on Kishore Kumar
Aug 05
1948-49 Malad Station, Mumbai: Waiting for my train, I spotted a thin young man on the opposite platform who seemed quite agitated & angry since he kept glaring at everyone. He was also wearing a muffler in the hot, humid weather of Mumbai. I thought "bechara bimar hai". I left on my train and arrived at Khemchand Prakash's music room for my rehearsal. Soon after, the same man arrived at the music room and I thought "yeh musibaat yahan bhi aa pahunchi". Khemchand Prakashji introduced the man as Kishore Kumar; younger brother of Ashok Kumar. He glared, nodded and sat down and then he began to sing and I was mesmerised. Thus began our long friendship, musical association and the beginning of an era. In his memory I remember 'Pehli Pehli Pyar Ki Mulakatein Yaad Hai, Mujhko To Tumhari Sari Baatein Yaad Hai.."”
This Kishore sounds like a guy who was used to following women singers around
Asha’s story sounds vaguely similar to the one Lata tells about how she met Kishore for the first time, doesn’t it? IIRC, it goes something like this, “Lata used to walk to the studio from the local train station in order to save the Rs. 0.25 it took to get a rickshaw/tonga. One day she saw a young man walk behind her from the station on the same route she was taking, and she was a bit alarmed because he followed her all the way to the studio. No sooner than she reached the studio door, she quickly entered inside … only to later come face to face with the same young man, much to her consternation(!). Fortunately, he was later introduced to her as Ashok Kumar’s brother and she breathed a sigh of relief.” I’m sure there’s a video of Lata somewhere recounting this story.
Kcp,
Is not this memoir related with Lata ji? Or we have been reading it wrong for so many years.
BTW, if you recall Basu Da had kept similar scene in Manzil, where Amitabh is walking behind Maushumi Chaterjee and she thinks he is some kind of loafer who is following her and after reaching at Anwar Ali’s house she got to know that she had taken a wrong impression about tall man.
Later she even tells Amitabh,” Maine samjhaa thaa ki aap gundaa ho”
Funny thing was her diction of the word Gundaa,. she said “Gundaa” and not “Gunde”
It is exhilarating to read Asha recalling the song ‘pahle pahle pyaar ki’ (The Great Gambler, 1979) on remembering Kishore Kumar. But it is disappointing to see her writing the line as ‘pehli pehli .. yaad hai’. It is not ‘pehli’ and not ‘hai’, but ‘pahle’ (or pehle) and ‘hain.’
Asif,
She is not as good as typing as you and me are! It seems to be have typed either by her son or daughter in law, who might not be as good as you an me to pickup such nuances in the songs.. so can atleast give a benefit of doubt in all fairness!
And what difference does it make… let’s enjoy the site and music, enjoy folks
Indeed UVR, RK ! The story remains the same.
Common factor is Malad station & Khemchand Prakash. Those days, Kishore’s job was to go to KP every day ! It was just a co-incidence that Asha & Lata met him on different days !
here is where Kishore about the first meet, apart from a few other places where they indicate this meet-details ( Baba Amte Live show, etc ) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_XWga_O1k
Feels good to see Asha recall comparatively new Pancham’s pahle pahle pyar ki …from amidst ocean of songs.
Regards
Panchamwala
Kishore Kumar The ONLY GENIUS singer I have seen in Indian Cinema ( I don’t give a damn what other think). His voice is so close to GOD that I do mediation while listening to his song. The only ever green singer of Hindi Cinema..
Thanks Vineet for your thoughts. Just that we must know the strengths and weaknesses of our God too
We would try to bring out them, here in the coming years.
Do keep visiting.
Excellent Point, KCP!