Good. Great. Genius.

Three words we often throw around casually, but they represent entirely different leagues of talent. Many artists achieve?good. Some push through to?great. But only a rare few reach the level of?genius. And when it comes to Indian cinema and music, Kishore Kumar belongs in that rarest of rare categories.

Today, on his death anniversary, I’m not here to mourn. I’m here to celebrate the man who?redefined music and entertainment. Because let’s be clear: geniuses like Kishore da never really leave us. They live on forever. So there’s no question of mourning.

Kishore Kumar was no ordinary singer.?In fact, he wasn’t even a?trained?singer. Let that sink in for a moment. In an era dominated by classical maestros and playback singers with rigorous training, here was a man who had no formal education in music, yet his voice was?the voice?of generations. He wasn’t confined by scales or ragas, and that’s exactly what made him so special. He broke every rule in the book - not out of rebellion, but because his genius simply couldn’t be contained within traditional frameworks.

His songs didn’t just hit the right notes - they struck?chords?with your soul. Whether it was the carefree mischief of?“Mere Sapno Ki Rani,”?the sensuality of?“Roop Tera Mastana,”?or the heart-wrenching emotion of?“Koi Hota Jisko Apna,”?Kishore da’s voice didn’t just sing the lyrics; it embodied the very emotion behind them. He had this unique gift of making you feel every word, every beat. It didn’t matter if you were in love, heartbroken, or simply happy - Kishore da had a song for every emotion, and he?became?that emotion when he sang.

But what truly sets him apart wasn’t just his voice. It was his sheer personality - his unapologetic, quirky, and eccentric self.?Kishore Kumar lived life on his own terms, and that’s what made him a legend. He wasn’t the kind of person who would conform to the norms of the industry. In fact, he was notorious for his unpredictable antics. Stories of him demanding full payment upfront before singing or abruptly stopping recordings if he didn’t feel like continuing are now part of his folklore. At one point, he even sang in front of a tree because someone said he wasn’t serious enough!

Kishore da was also fiercely?competitive. He demanded to be the highest-paid singer, and he knew he was worth every penny. He had an unwavering confidence in his unique abilities, a belief that what he could do, no one else could. That self-assurance not only elevated his career but also set a standard in the industry that inspired countless artists to recognize their own worth. He didn’t just sing for money; he sang because he was a maestro who knew he was irreplaceable.

And here’s the thing:?genius can’t be tamed. You don’t get Kishore Kumar by forcing him to follow rules or fit into a box. His brilliance came precisely from his freedom - freedom to be himself, to do things in ways that only he could. While others tried to perfect their craft through endless rehearsals and techniques, Kishore da simply?felt?the music. He sang from his gut, his heart, and his soul. And that’s something no formal training, no rulebook could ever replicate. His music was just an expression of himself!

In today’s world of AI and automation, we often talk about machines mimicking creativity. But let’s be honest - no AI could ever replicate what Kishore Kumar brought to the world. Machines may hit the notes, but they can’t capture?soul. They can’t replicate the way Kishore da could add a spontaneous chuckle mid-song or how he could stretch a word to make it dance. His improvisations, his quirks, his sheer unpredictability are beyond any algorithm. That’s what made him a genius - he didn’t just sing a song; he gave it a heartbeat.

And here’s the remarkable thing:?50 years on, we’re still singing Kishore Kumar’s songs like they were recorded yesterday. They don’t feel old, outdated, or confined to a specific era.?“Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana”,?“Yeh Shaam Mastani,”?and?“Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” - these songs have a life of their own. They’re as fresh today as they were decades ago. And I’m willing to bet, 50 years from now, people will still be humming these tunes. That’s what true genius does - it transcends time, trends, and generations.

Kishore Kumar wasn’t just a singer. He was an?artist, actor, composer, filmmaker, and above all, a free spirit. He lived life on his own terms and brought that same philosophy to his art. He wasn’t bound by the limitations of a single role or profession. He wasn’t just a playback singer. He wasn’t just a comedian. He wasn’t just a director. He was?everything - all at once. And in every role, he brought that same unpredictability, that same spark of genius.

As professionals, there’s a profound lesson to learn from Kishore da’s life. Don’t just aim to follow the rules; don’t strive to merely be?good?or even?great. Aim for more.?Aim to be a legend. Aim to create something so unique, so irreplaceable, that it lives on long after you’re gone. Be unapologetically?yourself. Like Kishore Kumar, let your personality, your quirks, and your uniqueness shine through in everything you do.

Kishore da’s music isn’t just a collection of songs - it’s a celebration of life itself. His voice will continue to resonate in the hearts of millions because?true genius never dies. It grows louder, stronger, and more timeless with every passing year.

So today, I celebrate Kishore Kumar - not with sadness but with gratitude. For giving us a voice that will live forever. For showing us that genius doesn’t follow rules - it creates its own path. And for reminding us that legends like him don’t belong to the past. They’re a part of our future, too.

On a personal note, I’m determined to honour his legacy with a concert titled?“Ye Dil Maange Kishore!”?because I believe that true genius deserves to be celebrated, cherished, and remembered. It will be my way of paying tribute to a man who has inspired me and countless others to embrace our own uniqueness and strive for excellence.

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