New Delhi: Kishore Kumar is back in a new avatar, 38 years after his death. His voice lives on in a unique TV show that’s given top singers of the day a chance to live their dream—of singing duets with the legendary artist. Ek Aur Baar Kishore Kumar on Sony Liv features Mame Khan, Papon, Nikhita Gandhi and Shalmali Kholgade, among others, who have given a new colour to the songs of the golden era. It’s a “simple technology” that has made it possible, not generative AI.
Created by music composer Shamir Tandon and produced by Universal Music India, the eight-part musical tribute features 11 of Kishore Kumar’s iconic songs, from Sagar Kinare to Bhool Gaya Sab Kuch.
Each episode is 10 minutes or less, and has a format where Tandon converses with the singer about their thoughts on the tribute.
Of the 10 singers, Alisha Chinai is the only one to have actually sung a song with Kishore Kumar. In the final episode, Chinai and Papon have a conversation about the legend.
“It was a fan girl moment but I was also trying not to be distracted because he would clown around so much,” said Chinai, laughing. The duo had sung Mr India’s Kate Nahin Kat Te. It featured Sridevi dancing in the rain and became a pop culture moment of the 90s.
The project has the nod from Kishore Kumar’s son Amit and legendary composer Anandji who were fascinated by this new take on tribute. Amit was happy that his father’s voice was not tampered with in any way, while Anandji just suggested that the new additions should not be blasphemous and fit the song.
Tandon has worked with Manna Dey, Jagjit Singh, Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar in the last two and a half decades.
“I did not want to get into the personal life of Kishore Kumar. It is important in a feature film or a documentary. But for me, the focus was presenting his legacy and versatility. We have not added lines to Kishore Kumar, but added new lines for the contemporary singers,” said Tandon.
On the show, singers shared their own favourite Kishore Kumar memory or anecdote. Harshdeep Kaur mentioned how her father would ask her to learn expressions and mannerisms from Kishore Kumar.
“My dad is an ardent fan of Kishore da and I’ve spent my whole childhood listening to him croon all the classic Kishore Da songs on karaoke tracks at gatherings and occasions,” said Nikhita Gandhi, who sings Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani in the tribute.
For everyone, it was a fantasy that had come alive because of the use of technology by Tandon.
Also read: When Kishore Kumar left behind his comic persona to make ‘Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein’
Making of the show
It took one and half years for the project to come on TV screens. Tandon’s family has been at the forefront of the battle for credit and copyright for musicians and performers in India. Tandon’s elder brother was the founder of Indian Performing Rights Society. That is why it was important for Tandon to create a show that honoured Kumar’s legacy and rights too.
“We have used technology which allows us to isolate his voice from the music. We have not used generative AI, that was used in Saiyaara for example. It is a simple technology, but no one thought of doing it,” said Tandon referring to a version of the film’s title track that had gone viral which used Kishore Kumar’s voice. The song also raised questions of copyright and impersonation. Even Spotify refused to stream the song, under its practice of tracks that mimic an artist’s voice without their consent.
Tandon does not dismiss the use of AI completely but he wants to wait for regulatory practices to be in place before using the technology.
Tandon also brought in ‘unusual’ choices for recreating or ‘revibing’ the new compositions. For Sagar Kinare Dil Yeh Pukare, he brought in the folk singer Mame Khan.
“It’s a miracle that with correct use of technology one can use the real voice of Kishore Kumar. It’s a blessing that without using generative AI one can use the pure untainted voice of the legend that he recorded in the 70s and 80s and have our voice alongside him,” said Khan.
The show is set against the backdrop of a college gearing up for its annual festival. The location also reflected the emerging popularity of music festivals and concerts in India. Tandon did not want to make a formal documentary or get singers to have conversations inside a recording studio. It did not fit into his vision of bringing Kishore Kumar to Gen Z.
“People have paid homage to him by trying to emulate him, as was done in the cover-version era with singers like Kumar Sanu and Abhijeet Bhattacharya. But the millennials and Gen Z kids want to hear the real voice. And these kids are in colleges. So that became the choice,” said Tandon
Also read: Kishore Kumar had 30 dogs of all pedigrees. ‘Trained to bite only Income Tax officials’
The father-son bond
Working on the show was a way for Kishore’s elder son Amit Kuma to relive the memories of working with his father. Kumar was part of all his father’s recordings.
Two episodes feature Kumar, who also narrates some of the anecdotes. In episode 4, Kumar talks about the year when he won the Filmfare Award for best playback singer (male) for Yaad Aa Rahi Hai from Love Story (1981).
Kishore had two nominations that year—Humen Tumse Pyar Kitna from Kudrat and Chuu Kar Mere Man Ko from Yaarana. But it was his son who won the award.
“I was performing in Rajkot when he called and asked ‘are you drinking?’ I said no, even though I was actually drinking,” said Kumar with a smile, recalling the way his father delivered the news to him.
In another episode, Kumar narrates that it was Welsh singer Tom Jones, whose mannerisms while singing and performing inspired his father to develop his own signature expressions and movement.
As the song Jane Jaan Dhoondta plays, black and white photographs of the singer and his son, and other snapshots are shown, interspersed with the performance on a stage, surrounded by cheering students.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)