Amit Kumar

Born on July 3, 1952, in India, Amit Kumar is the son of singer-actor Kishore Kumar and Bengali singer-actress Ruma Guha Thakurta. He began his singing career at a young age, performing at Durga Pooja festivals in Calcutta. His professional debut outside his father’s compositions came in 1973 for the film ‘Darwaza.’ In 1976, he achieved national recognition with the song “Bade Achchhe Lagte Hain” from ‘Balika Badhu’, composed by R.D. Burman. This marked the beginning of a prolific period, and he recorded 170 Hindi songs under R.D. Burman.

Throughout the 1980s, Amit Kumar established himself as a prominent male playback singer in Hindi cinema. A significant milestone was the film ‘Love Story’ (1981), where he sang all the songs and earned a Filmfare Award for the duet “Yaad Aa Rahi Hai.” He lent his voice to many successful films, including ‘Qurbani’ (1980) for the popular song “Laila o Laila” and garnered chart-topping hits with duets and solo performances. He became particularly associated with actor Kumar Gaurav’s voice in the 1980s and collaborated extensively with music directors such as R.D. Burman and Bappi Lahiri. His career in this decade also saw him sing for Anil Kapoor in films like ‘Tezaab’ and ‘Tridev,’ where the song “Oye Oye- Tirchi Topi Waaley” became a nationwide hit. Following his father’s passing in 1987, he released the album ‘Dui Kishore’ as a tribute.

Into the 1990s, Amit Kumar continued to deliver notable songs in films such as ‘Hum,’ ‘Baaghi: A Rebel for Love,’ and ‘Ghayal.’ He developed a strong working relationship with music duo Anand–Milind, contributing to films like ‘Swarg’ and ‘Aaj Ka Goonda Raaj.’ He also collaborated with Jatin–Lalit on films like ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.’ After R.D. Burman’s death in 1994, citing a decline in music quality, Kumar reduced his playback singing activities to focus on live orchestra shows and released several music albums. He also ventured into television, serving as a judge on singing reality shows like ‘K for Kishore’ and lending his voice to animated series such as ‘Guru Aur Bhole.’ He also acted in several films, often directed by his father, and completed his father’s unfinished film ‘Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein’ as director.