Long before ruling the charts in the 1990s, legendary playback singer Kumar Sanu navigated a journey filled with hardship and persistence. The artist, who became a household name following the massive success of romantic melodies, had humble beginnings far away from the glamour of the film industry. Hailing from a background where music was a deep passion, he began performing on stage in 1979 while living in Kolkata. Working as a singer at a hotel, he earned roughly four thousand rupees a month before deciding to chase his cinematic dreams in Mumbai.
The Borrowed Fare and the Mumbai Arrival
To fund his relocation to the city of dreams, he borrowed eleven hundred rupees from his elder brother. Upon arriving in Mumbai, he secured work at Aradhana Guest House. Fate intervened when renowned ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh frequented the recording studio located at the very same property. While the aspiring singer was recording tracks originally sung by Kishore Kumar inside the studio, the veteran maestro overheard his performance and was deeply impressed by the unique texture of his voice.
Meeting the Maestro Amidst Twelve Dogs
Invited to meet the legendary artist, Kumar Sanu touched his feet in reverence and was asked to visit his residence the following day at twelve noon. Arriving at the designated hour, he was asked to wait in the drawing-room, which unexpectedly housed around twelve dogs. He later recalled how he sat quietly at first, but when he attempted to reach for a harmonium, a few of the dogs began barking, making it nearly impossible for him to move from his spot as he waited patiently for his host.
The Transformation and Historic Records
Born as Kedarnath Bhattacharya on October 20, 1957, his original name was given by his devout father Pashupati Nath Bhattacharya. Early in his career, while interacting with the legendary composer duo Kalyanji-Anandji, he was advised to change his name since people affectionately called him Sanu, leading to the birth of the iconic stage name. After working with stalwarts like Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Naushad, and R.D. Burman, alongside his celebrated duets with Alka Yagnik, his career reached an unprecedented peak in 1990 with the release of the film Aashiqui.
The runaway success of the soundtrack transformed him into an overnight sensation. He went on to win five consecutive Filmfare Awards and cemented his legacy globally by setting a world record for recording twenty-eight songs in a single day, cementing his status as an unmatched icon of Indian playback singing.
