When Dev Anand Rejected Kishore Kumar
Dev Anand and Kishore Kumar shared a very good and healthy relationship in their entire life. Infact Kishore Kumar became the voice of Dev Anand during the 50s and gave many hit songs that time which are considered as timeless classics now. But unfortunately an incident took place during the recording of a song, where Dev Anand didn’t want Kishore Kumar to sing one particular song in a movie. But SD Burman came in between and strictly ordered ever body in the recording room, ‘If you want this song in the movie, it will be only sung by Kishore kumar and nobody else.’
This happened during the recording of a song for the movie, Funtoosh. The director for the movie was chetan anand and the lead actor of the movie was none other than Dev Anand himself. SD Burman was the music director of the movie and the lyricist was Sahir Ludhianvi.
There were total eight songs in the movie and SD Burman asked Kishore da and Asha ji to sing all the songs. Kishore kumar successfully recorded four songs apart from one song because Dev Anand wanted this song to be sung by Talat Mehmood. Dev Anand spoke to Burman Dada to take Talat Mehmood for this song. But every time Dev Anand requested, Burman Dada rejected him.
It was one afternoon, when Manna Dey went to a studio for some work where he found Chetan Anand, Dev Anand, Kishore Kumar and SD Burman sitting together, but there was pin drop silence in the room. Manna Dey understood that something is wrong and found Kishore Kumar coming towards him slowly. Manna dey asked Kishore Kumar about matter. Kishore Kumar told him that, it was due to a song which Burman Dada wants me to sing, but nobody else wants. In fact, I also think that this song is not of my type. If you please sing the song, I will be grateful to you, said Kishore kumar. Before Manna Dey could utter a single word, SD Burman roared from behind, ‘Manna, you don’t listen to Kishore. He has to sing this, nobody else’.
Chetan Anand looked at Burman Dada and politely asked, ‘Dada why do you want Kishore in this song? All the songs are sung by him in this movie. Let Talat sing the sad song. Kishore has never sung sad songs. He is very good in peppy and romantic songs’. Dev Anand got a chance to speak and added, ‘Look Burman Dada, you take Talat Mehmood for this song, you remember the song, Jaaye to Jaaye kahan, how beautifully he had sang the song?’
SD Burman looked at Dev Anand as replied back, ‘You remember, how beautifully Kishore sang the song, Jeevan ke safar mein rahi? Don’t argue with me Dev, I know what I have to do. When Talat Mehmood was required I asked him to song. When Kishore is required, he has to sing. You please don’t forget, all of these songs are my composition. All these songs are Super Hits. If Kishore sings this song, Dukhi Mann Mere Sun Mera Kehna, you see that Kishore will create history with this’.
Sahir Ludhianvi who was listening to the whole discussion, interfered in between and said to Dev Anand,’ Let Burman Dada take the decision. His decision have been the best always for all of us.’
Burman Dada asked Kishore kumar to go straight to the recording room to record the song. Before Kishore Kumar could enter the room, Burman Dada looked at Dev Anand and said, ‘I have composed this song keeping Kishore in mind. Nobody can do justice to the song apart from Kishore.’ Kishore Kumar stopped for a moment and then started the recording. When the recording was over, before anybody could say anything, Dev Anand jumped out in joy and hugged Kishore Kumar. He said, ‘Arre Kishore how come you sang this song so perfectly?’ SD Burman who was just behind them padded Dev Anand’s shoulder and said when I pick somebody for a song; always remember I compose the songs in that way so that this song only suits one particular singer and nobody else.
When film Funtoosh was released, it became a hit movie and Kishore Kumar’s song, Dukhi Mann Mere Sun Mera Kehna, became a blockbuster and created history forever.
Burman Dada was such a person who researched thoroughly before taking any decision and he used to experiment in different ways which always proved to be right in any of his music composition. Do comment friends, if Kishore Kumar was replaced by Talat Mehmood in this song, how much acceptance it would have got and how much audience would have remembered it today.
Thank you so much friends.
