The legendary singer Kishore Kumar after quitting the acting, once expressed his desire to act with the legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan.
Kishore Kumar expressed his wish with Amitabh Bachchan like this, “Amit, I didn't not talk with you at any time but I have one wish in my mind, I saw everyone while acting but whenever I saw while you are acting I feel like I should do one film with you. Though I quit acting, watching you, I get a desire of acting with you, will you do a film with me!”
Responding to this Amitabh Bachchan had said with full respect, with a folded hands, “ Dada, main hi ek bacha tha kya barbad hone ke liye" ( Dada, was I the only person remained to get ruined?).
With this statement, Kishore Kumar got surprised and asked Amitabh Bachchan, Arey tu kya bol raha hau? Barbaad matlab kya hai? (What are you saying? What is the meaning of ruined?).
Amitabh Bachchan clarified this by saying clearly in Hindi, “Dada, main aapke saat 100 janam tak kaam nahi kar sakta, …… (in English) Dada, I cannot work with you even if I take 100 births, the way you act while singing, I lose my breath just to give expressions regarding that, It's not possible for another actor to take birth like you. 500 Amitabh Bachchans are nothing before you, so I cannot work with you.”
Infact Amitabh Bachchan refused the offer given by Kishore Kumar out of respect not by ego. He always referred Kishore Kumar a genius. Once he said that, while speaking about Kishore Kumar, to speak about or to debate about Kishore Kumar it takes very long time because it has so much to talk about him so that time is very little to speak about him. Amitabh Bachchan said that in his personal view Kishore da had thought about playback singing lately, because, inside him, there was a director, he had art of an actor, in his experience there were more other artistic nature capabilities which were far beyond his singing abilities. Amitabh Bachchan also mentioned that, inside his (Kishore Kumar's) heart, a humanity was prevailing.
Though there was a good friendship between Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, according to reports, once in 1980s there were disagreements and misunderstandings which took place between Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan when Bachchan refused to appear in a guest role in Kishore Kumar's productional film Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein, because in 1980s Amitabh Bachchan was a busy actor and due to his busy schedule he couldn't act. Thenceforth Kishore Kumar refused to record songs for Amitabh Bachchan for the films Naseeb, Coolie and Mard.
Kishore Kumar agreed to sing for Amitabh Bachchan for the films Mahaan, Shakti and Bemisal which were released in 1982 & 83 because Kishore Kumar had close bondage with the music director R. D. Burman who composed the music for these films.
Later Amitabh Bachchan realised his fault, he went to meet Kishore Kumar on his son Amit Kumar's birthday there the misunderstandings between them had got cleared.
Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan never acted together as co-stars. Their colloborations happened only in the songs, Kishore Kumar had sung numerous hit songs for Amitabh Bachchan and they remained as evergreen songs in the hearts of the people. Once Amitabh Bachchan said that singer's voice helped to preserve his presence in the hearts of the audience for a long period.
Kishore Kumar, as a playback singer, had recorded more than 130 songs for Amitabh Bachchan in various hit films like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Abhiman, Don, Namak Halal, Yarana and the list is very long.
The makers of the film Don, in 1978, added the song ‘Khaike paan Banaraswala…’, sung by Kishore Kumar after a week the film got released. After adding the song with in a week the film became a major hit at the box-office. This song remained as an evergreen song, Kishore Kumar had won Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer.
Initially Kishore Kumar refused to sing Khaike paan Banaraswala… because he felt that the song is not like a typical Hindi song. Later he agreed to sing with the condition that, he sings only once if they didn't like it they would have to find another singer. The song has become an iconic song and it helped the film to become a block-buster.
In the later stage Kishore Kumar had sung for Amitabh Bachchan for the superhit film Sharabi in 1984 and then for Toofan which was released in 1989.
Kishore Kumar is among the greatest singers of the Indian cinema. He had the ability to change his voice to match it with hero's voice, so the listener was feeling like as if the hero himself was singing the song. His brother Ashok Kumar stated that Kishore Kumar as a singer was successful because his voice hits the mike, straight, at its most sensitive point.
Once famous playback singer Asha Bonsle said that it's impossible for anyone to take Kishore Kumar's place and he has been a true gem to the music industry.
Many singers of the later stage have been greatly inspired and influenced by Kishore Kumar.
Amitabh Bachchan called Kishore Kumar a multi-talented genius who shall remain a phenomenal star.
Unfortunately Kishore Kumar had passed away in 1987 at the age of 58 years due to heart attack and his productional film Mann Ki Chhaon Mein was released by his son Amit Kumar in 1989, two years after Kishore Kumar's demise.
In 2012 Kishore Kumar's unreleased song , 'Tum hi to woh ho…'’ from the shelved film Khel Tamasha was sold for Rs 15.6 lakh at the Osian’s Cinefan Auction in New Delhi, the highest price bid for any Indian singers. This song was recorded just 3 days before the unexpected demise of Kishore Kumar.