EXCLUSIVE: Facing politics in the industry to being compared to Kishore Kumar, TOP 5 revelations made by legendary singer Kumar Sanu

Kumar Sanu is one of the most versatile and legendary singers in the Hindi entertainment industry. The singer comes with a lineage in the music industry with loads of achievements and several feathers on his cap. We got the chance to have a candid chat with Kumar Sanu who has delivered iconic songs including Chori Chori Dil Tera, Tumhe Apna Banane Ki Kasam, Yeh Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin and many more.

Now, in an exclusive chat with Bollywood Bubble, legendary singer Kumar Sanu spoke about being constantly compared to Kishore Kumar, facing politics in the industry, autotunes, royalties and much more. So, without any further delay, head on to what Kumar Sanu has to say.

Top 5 revelations made by Kumar Sanu

Did you know Kumar Sanu was not his real name? Yes, you read that right! In our interview, Kumar Sanu shared about his initial days and the struggles he had to face to enter the music industry. Also, the time when he realized that he has a good voice and he can sing. During the chat, Kumar Sanu revealed that his original name was Sanu Bhattacharjee. Later, KalyanJi AnandJi gave him the name of Kumar Sanu which the audience and music fans remember even today and sing his iconic songs wholeheartedly!

Kumar Sanu shares many celebrities cannot maintain success

In our candid chat, Kumar Sanu shared that he has seen quite a lot of ‘life living’ in his initial days through his upbringing. Because he has seen those days, he said, “Success digest karne ke liye mujhe zara bhi takleef nahi hui. Bahot saare celebrities maintain karte bhi hai (maintain success), bahot saare nahi kar paate. Jo success ko pacha nahi paayega wo tik nahi payega industry me. Unka ye pachanshakti bahot bada hona chahiye, tab jaake pacha sakte hai. Toh maine wo success pacha liya, isliye mujhe aaj bhi wo moment yaad nahi hai jab mai famous ho gaya.” (I did not face any problems to digest my success. Those who cannot handle success will be unable to stay in the industry. As I have digested my success, I still don’t remember the moment I became famous)

Kumar Sanu reacts to constantly being compared with Kishore Kumar

Speaking about being compared with Kishore Kumar says, “Mujhe industry me bahot saare taane sunai diye. Bahot saare logon ne mujhe ‘clone’ bola. Bole ‘ek aur clone aaye hai aur kuch din me fir Calcutta chale jayenge.” (A lot of people have called me ‘clone’. They have said that another clone has entered the industry, but he will return to Calcutta in a few days.) He also shared that in order to not be compared with Kishore Kumar, he was given the name of Kumar Sanu. “Bengali hone ki wajah se jo dikkat jhelna padega, ye soch ke Kalyanji bhai ne bola ke tu kitna acha urdu bolta hai, tera pronunciation kitna clear hai. Isliye unhone kaha ke tera naam Kumar Sanu rakhta hu ke kisi ko pata naa chale ke tu kis jaat (Bengali) ka hai. Aur mujhe aaj lagta hai ke unhone sahi socha tha uss samay.”

Kumar Sanu reacts to facing politics and competition from the industry

Kumar Sanu shared that they will have to face politics. He said, “Poitics toh face karna hi padega. But politics face karo, usko sort out karo par khud politician matt bann jao. Agar aap politics karoge toh musibat me aaoge kyu ki aap usko badhava de rahe hai. Aur maine politics sortout kiya, longlife. Pehle healthy competition hua karta tha. Not like tu-tu-mai-mai. Improvise karna, gaane ke liye feelings par dhyaan dena, ye sab healthy competition tha. Kabhi aisa nahi tha ke ‘mera gaana tu kyu chheen liya’.” (You have to face politics and sort it out. If you do politics, you might face troubles because you are letting it go on. There used to be healthy competition before. It was never like ‘why did you use my song’)

Kumar Sanu opens up about singer rights and royalties

Kumar Sanu shared that there was a system where every music director, lyricist, and musician were paid but the singer was left behind before an association began where royalties were demanded by the singers. He said, “Toh ye jo humara maangna hai, mujhe aisa lagta hai ke we are right. Hum ye nahi bol rahe hai ke aap hume isse zyada de do. As a singer, we have some right to take some money. Jo collections ho rahe hai all over the world, usme se humara bhi thoda haq hai.” (I don’t think that we are wrong to deserve and expect our share of money and royalties from our hard work.)

Kishore Kumar on today’s technology (autotunes)

We happened to ask Kumar Sanu what he has to say about autotunes making its way in today’s time. To this, the singer says, “Technology ko hum rok nahi sakte. Technology aage badhega hi badhega. Technology ka bura point ye hai ke non-singer ko singer bana deta hai. Ye buri baat hai. Lekin aapke samay ko bachana, ye technology ka plus point hai. (We cannot stop technology as it will keep advancing. A negative point of technology is that it turns a non-singer into a singer but a plus point is that it saves your time.)

Further, we also asked him what does he have to say about actors becoming singers and singers turning actors. To this, Kumar Sanu says, “Mujhe khujli hua tha toh maine bhi abhi acting kiya tha. Toh actors ko bhi hota hai. Toh isme buri baat kuch nahi hai. Plus point ye hota hai ke mai koi hero ke liye gaa raha hu aur hero khud gaa raha hai. Toh jab hero khud hi gaata hai, it’s good kyu ki unka market already bana hua hai.”

Legendary singer Kumar Sanu

Choose Filters

Normal

1977

Crema

Ludwig

Moon

Willow

This isn’t it! Further in the interview, Kumar Sanu also talks about his infamous conflict with another legendary singer Udit Narayan.

Watch the full interview here:

Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Kumar Sanu talks about his infamous conflict with Udit Narayan: It’s not rivalry, this is a healthy competition

Nawaz Kochra

Nawaz Kochra has been an experienced journalist in the entertainment arena for the last 9 years. Worked with the biggest brands in the media fraternity, he now heads the editorial desk at Bollywood Bubble. In addition to that, he even hosts a podcast called, Let’s Talk with Bollywood Bubble. Someone who is calm, yet a firecracker, and holds a balanced opinion about things, Nawaz is strong-headed and determined. He loves films as well as web shows and TV (yes, he is from that generation!), and that’s why writing about them is more of a passion for him than just a job.