KK’s songs had an easy singalong quality

Kya Mujhe Pyar Hai

Tadap tadap

Aankhon Mein Teri

Among the many Twitter posts mourning KK’s death, there is one from cartoonist Satish Acharya in which the singer is crooning ‘hum rahe ya na rahe kal’ from the heavens while holding out the mike to the audience (as all rockstars do). And the audience below is humming in unison: ‘yaad aayenge yeh pal’.

The cartoon is stirring, and more so because it encapsulates, perhaps unwittingly, the crux of why KK’s songs hold such extraordinary appeal — it is their easy singalong quality. This is also why the tributes that continue to pour in for the multi-language singer are all soaked in nostalgia — we have all sung these songs to ourselves and to our friends and lovers.

Some of his greatest numbers have provided the background music we didn’t know we needed during the moments of joy and sorrow in our growing-up years. Which college reunion did not have at least one ‘besura’ group of boys and girls singing ‘Yaaron dosti badi hi haseen hain’ together while a few scattered emotional souls shed tears in secret? Not to mention humming the second line ‘Yaaro mohabbat hi toh bandagi hain...’ to oneself every time that first big crush passed by. KK was there with us, people of a certain generation, in the delicious longing to fall in love (‘Kyu aaj kal neend kam khwab zyada hain’), in the adoration of our partner (‘Tu hi meri shab hain’) as well as in the operatic dramatising of our heartbreak (‘Tadap, tadap’).

People who know him say Krishnakumar Kunnath’s persona too was like his songs — simple, lyrical and quietly emotional — no extra flourishes and grand orchestrations, especially in the songs he composed himself. Not many know, however, that KK’s repertoire was not restricted to playback songs and romantic ballads.

He collaborated with the renowned Sabri brothers for Coke Studio India to render a recreated version of the famous Qawwali ‘Chadta Suraj’. There is a quiet dignity in his voice when he sings the line ‘Chadta suraj dheere dheere dhal jaayega’, a quality of his that remained rather unexplored in his career; for when you sing superhit romantic numbers, songs of other genres do not come your way much. We are sure there were many other soulful songs that KK sang in regional languages but this writer is not qualified to comment on those.

Gautam Chikermane, who was one of KK’s college band members, in a long thread on Twitter, recalls how he was someone who could shift effortlessly from the English songs he sang in college to Hindi numbers when he got a foothold in Bollywood. Once when Gautam met him, much later in life, KK told him how he never liked singing in hotels when people are eating and drinking and after a pause, added: “We would play for ourselves. That kept us going.” In his friend’s words, “in each song, each rendering, he [KK] gave his all — voice, heart and soul. He became the song.”

Administrational lapses

Fans and singers have demanded a probe over KK’s death after reports said that the ace singer complained of the AC not working at the Nazrul Macha auditorium. The hall, which had a capacity of maximum of 3000 people, witnessed around 7000 fans for the concert.

To manage the overflowing crowd, the police are learnt to have used fire extinguishers, which causes suffocation. KK was also seen mobbed by fans when he was rushed to his hotel after he complained of uneasiness. Since his death, there have been calls for better care and management of artistes during their live performances.

Our Favourite five

* Yaaron from the album 'Pal' (1999)
* Tadap, Tadap from 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (1999)
* Pyaar Ke Pal from the album 'Pal' (1999)
* Aankhon Mein Teri Ajab Si from 'Om Shanti Om' (2007)
* Awaarapan Banjarapan from 'Jism' (2003)

Five lesser-known songs of KK we love

*Beete Lamhein from The Train (2007): KK and composer Mithoon produced many gems and this tops the list for us.
*O Meri Jaan from Life In A Metro (2007): Music composer Pritam got everything right about this song that features the entire ensemble cast and KK was, well, at his breezy best.
*Mehki Hawa from the album Pal (1999): This was overshadowed by Yaaron and Pyaar Ke Pal but maybe its time is now...
*Rain Bhari Kaari from the album Humsafar (2008): This folksy number, we guarantee, will be your companion next time you take a boat ride.
*Mera Pehla Pehla Pyar from MP3 (2007): Yes, this is a typical Bollywood first love number but KK still manages to give it his special rosy tinge.