Reason for Kumar Sanu downfall as stated by Kumar Sanu fans in 2004 on Yahoo Groups
Dear Readers,
I could have used some nice adjectives to describe the personality in the title of this article itself. But I would better leave this responsibility to you – who should be the best judge. This article is nothing but a humble attempt to bring him back in front of the public before it gets too late. Yes, I am trying to refresh your memories of the good old 90s when he was the king of the Bollywood music industry. In spite of presence of stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Madhuri Dixit, A.R.Rehman, Aishwariya Rai, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik and all, he was the one who received Artist of the Decade of 90s award in Bollywood Music award. Yes, he is no other than the almost forgotten one and only Kumar Sanu who will be turning 47 in the coming year (2004).
I don’t know much about other countries. But in India, there are innumerable occasions where a deserving candidate does not get the required recognition during his/her lifetime. And also there are a lot of personalities who get their recognition at a very old age when he or she may not be physically/mentally strong enough to cherish that success. Kumar Sanu is going to be one of the latest additions to this list. Yes, his songs became superhits and megahits, he was the number 1 choice of the music directors, actors, producers and directors, he sang innumerable songs during 90s, music directors like Rahul Dev Burman, Laxmikant Pyarelal and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saab used his voice. But in spit of all these, he never really got the recognition that he really deserved. Why does one have to say this?
Firstly, he did not get enough praise from the purists which Sonu Nigam or Anuradha Podhwal or Kavita Krishnamurthy received. Secondly, he did not ever get national awards even during his best days which his contemporaries like Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik received. And finally, there had not yet been any true attempt to appreciate his contribution to the Hindi film playback singing. Rather, people at the slightest opportunity, tried to undermine his works. His best songs got worst reviews on bollywood music websites. The reviewers never forgot to mention that Kumar Sanu sang with his nose but never really paid attention to the emotions that he put in his songs. What could be the reason for this?
Why was Kumar Sanu not liked by one and all like Mohammed Rafi or Kishore Kumar or Mukesh or Udit Narayan? There could be many reasons for this. The most important reason for this is his public image for which only he is responsible. Kumar Sanu never really showed respect to his contemporaries during his prime. He used to compare himself with Lataji and Ashaji. Following their paths, he declared that he won’t receive any more Filmfare award after 1994. When A. R. Rehman came to the industry, he failed to recognize Rehman’s potential and made bad remarks about Rehman’s music. This is how, he created more and more enemies in the industry. At that time, Kumar Sanu was in his prime; so people could not do much. But later at the slightest opportunity, people just threw him out of his throne.
How this opportunity was created? Once again, this opportunity was created by Kumar Sanu himself. Suddenly in 1995, he decided that he had sung enough and it was time to take a break. He went to Bengal to try his hands in acting. He spent nearly two years in making this Bengali film called “Gaane Bhuban Bhariye Debo”. During these two years, the music directors tried their best to use Kumar Sanu in their films because he had that “market value”. So, in spite of their “dislike”, they wanted to hang on to him. But unfortunately, he was unavailable most of the time. So, ultimately, his songs went to other singers like Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam and Abhijeet. The music directors forced them to sing like Kumar Sanu during these years. Thus, Kumar Sanu style of singing became a school which was followed by his contemporaries and the upcoming singers.
Then Kumar Sanu came back and tried to regain his position. But unfortunately, it was not to happen again. The other singers have already shown their “market value” during these years – thanks to popularity of more and more music channels in India and secondly, Kumar Sanu’s sinus problem. This sinus problem virtually stopped Kumar Sanu to sing songs for quite some time. He ultimately had to resort to homoeopathy in order to get cured. Thus, he lost some valuable time and by the time he recovered, the bollywood music industry had taken a different course.
So, Kumar Sanu made a second come back in 2000s once again through some more Nadeem Shravan films. But it was not to be for long. Soon,, Nadeem Shravan pair broke up. It was practically impossible to create music being in two different countries. Almost at the same time, we have Anand Milind and Bappi Lahiri who themselves are not in the market anymore. Anu Malik is a producer/director’s composer. Today’s producers/directors don’t like Kumar Sanu anymore as he is no longer having that “market value”. Today’s westernized songs have more market value – the trend had been set up by music directors like A. R. Rehman, Shanker-Ehsaan-Loy and Himmesh Reshammiya. Incidentally, Himmesh used to depend a lot on Kumar Sanu in his initial stages. But once he got the popularity, he forgot Kumar Sanu. And Kumar Sanu, unfortunately, did not learn from his previous mistakes, which is why he made some bad remarks on Himmesh’s singing in the recent past. This way, Kumar Sanu closed some of his doors himself.
Therefore, we can say that, we have almost seen the end of Kumar Sanu. He will never ever get back his position in the bollywood film industry. He is now among the “veterans” who will occasionally get some situational songs – maybe once or twice a year. Today Udit-Shreya and Sonu-Shreya are 2 hit “jodis” but not Sanu-Shreya. Yes, Kumar Sanu does not have the same beauty of the 90s in his voice anymore but still he has that mesmerizing capability. Still, he is now among the veterans because of his own attitude. His enemies tried their best to wipe him off the bollywood music industry at the cost of meoldy which is almost lost in bollywood music now.
Why Kumar Sanu dug his own graveyard? The most important reason is, his lack of proper “education”. Yes, he is a commerce graduate and he had musical environment in his family. But in spite of all these, he probably did not learn some of the basic things. He did not learn to show respect to his colleagues, he did not recognize the talent of Rehman and he did not learn to be humble. In spite of blowing his own trumpet, he should have allowed his songs only to talk for himself. Had he done that, probably he would have got all possible recognitions. But unfortunately his songs are gradually disappearing from people’s minds.
So many memorable and classic songs he sang in such a short time – people are slowly forgetting them now. We talk about his songs in Aashiqui, Deewana, Saajan, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin and 1942 – A Love Story. But at the same time, he sang songs in films like Dil Ka Kya Kasoor, Dilwale, Rang, Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke, Salaami and Sapne Saajan Ke. Not only for Nadeem Shravan, but he sang some evergreen classics for Anu Malik in Sir, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi, Vijaypath, Imtihaan, Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Naajayaz. Eventhough Anand Milind and Jatin Lalit became popular through Udit Narayan songs, they also gave great songs to Kumar Sanu in films like Gopi Kishan, Ek Ladkee Ek Ladka, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. Rajesh Roshan, who once used Kishore Kumar, did not hesitate to use Kumar Sanu in films Karan Arjun, Koyla, Papa Kehte Hain etc. Then Kumar Sanu did some great songs in his second innings for Anu Malik and Jatin Lalit in films like Duplicate, Soldier, Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai. Finally in his third innings, once again Nadeem-Shravan Kumar Sanu jodi became famous through songs in Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya Hai, Yeh Dil Ashiquana, Dil Hai Tumhara, Qayamat, Andaaz and Barsaat. He also sang for other music directors in his third innings like in Shabd, Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai and Shukriya. I have just mentioned very few of the songs which made him popular. But there are innumerable low profile songs which were really classy and were sung by Kumar Sanu. One can go to the Kumar Sanu website to rediscover them. The point is, Kumar Sanu left no stone unturned to enliven a song in spite of what banner it belongs to. Kumar Sanu Lovers should be the best persons to tell you more about all these. It is the responsibility of the Kumar Sanu Lovers to bring them to the limelight.
The whole point is, in spite of having so many chartbusters during the last 12 years and in spite of having so many classy but forgotten gems, Kumar Sanu did not get the recognition that he deserved. Yes, he did some mistakes by not being humble, by not showing respect to the contemporaries, by criticizing people like Rehman and Reshammiya. But the steps that had been taken by the producers/directors/music directors/ music companies (they shut off all the doors for Kumar Sanu and stamped him as a “veteran”) as a result of this are nothing but a compromise with the quality. The melody is gone; songs are copies of western cultures and the voices are without any polishes. Boxer Mohammed Ali also used to claim “I am the Greatest”. But this did not prevent him to get the recognition that he deserved. Therefore, why Kumar Sanu can’t get that?
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