Nilesh The Musician

Nilesh is a self taught musician and a guitarist with style. He plays rhythm/lead on both acoustic and electric guitars. He loves to try new musical instruments other then the guitar and is now working on playing the harmonica. He is also a popular RJ on a south asian radio station in Jersey where the line "Aaphika Apna Kuch Jaana Pehchaana Kuch Anjaana Ajnabee - MistryMan" says it all.

Now Performing on Maharaja Cruise

Amit Kumar

Amit Kumar (born 3 July, 1954) is the elder son of the late all-rounder (composer, singer, lyricist, film maker, writer, actor), Kishore Kumar. His mother Ruma Guha Thakurta is a top Bengali actress and founder and lead singer of Calcutta Youth Choir. His uncle Ashok Kumar, came to Bombay in the 1930s to pursue an acting career in the silent movies and the early talkies. His other uncle, late Anup Kumar was an actor too.He decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Though (like his father) he did not train in Indian classical music, he did his riyaaz in the form of singing practice, mainly of his father’s songs.A child prodigy, he was singing and acting in his father's films while kids his age were still sucking thumbs! He cut his teeth watching the antics of his hugely successful comedian father, the one and only Kishore Kumar. Acting in his father's films and singing along with him on stage, has given Amit a confidence found in few of his peers.Though he did not train in classical (like his dad) music, he did his riyaaz in the form of singing practice, mainly of his father’s songs. For the last ten years, he has been grooming under Pandit. Satyanarayan Sharma.Amit’s first recording was Main Panchi Matwala Re for his father in Door Ka Rahi (1971). But his first major adult song (he was 11 when Door Ka Rahi was recorded in 1965) was R. D. Burman’s Bade Ache Lagte Hain (Balika Badhu). He had recorded earlier for MISA (Madan Mohan) and for a Rajesh Khanna film with music by Salil Choudhary, but these films never took off.

Amit Kumar enjoyed greater success during the 80's and initial 90's, becoming the signature voice for actors like Kumar Gaurav, Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and other actors. He shared an excellent rapport with R.D Burman producing songs including 'Bade Achche Lagte Hai','Kya Hua Ik Baat Par', 'Maang Loonga Mai Tujhe Taqdeer Se', 'Ye Zameen Ga Rahi Hai', 'Roz Roz Aankhon Tale', and 'Jaaneman Jaanejigar', and a number of his songs appeared in various Bollywood films. Media drew comparisons between Amit Kumar and his father, Great Kishore Da, creating a possibly higher bar of expectation for Amit's talent than a normal young singer with lesser pedigree. Even so, the name recognition aided Amit in developing his own singing style and increasing his own notoriety.His first releases were Aandhi, Mounto, Zindagi Aur Toofan and Anokha in 1975. He had a stint as a child star in "Door Gagan Ki Chaon Mein" as a mute boy acting along side dad Kishore Kumar in this 1964 off-beat movie.He obviously decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Kishore wanted Amit to be a singer, which is why Amit came to Mumbai at 18, and his father introduced him at a special show called Daddy Kishore Son Amit.It was in 1975, that these songs were realeased including the ‘qawwali’ with Mohammad Rafi and Bhupendra, ‘Salaam Kijiye Aali Janaab Aaye Hain’ (Aandhi/R. D. Burman, four songs in Jai Kumar Parte’s flop film for Vijay Anand, Jaan Haazir Hai (of which ‘Arey Meri Chammak Challo’ and ‘Hum Na Rahenge proved popular) and some insignificant songs in Kalyanji - Anandji’s Mounto and Anokha and Laxmikant - Pyarelal’s Zindagi Aur Toofan.In the 70’s, Amit’s progress was very slow as the great singers were all going strong. Yet, he did to sing in films like Laxmikant - Pyarelal’s Aap Beeti, Parvarish and Prem Vivah, Kalyanji - Anandji’s Ganga Ki Saugandh, R. D. Burman’s Kasma Vaade, Gol Maal and Salaam Memsaab, Ravindra Jain’s Deewange, Rajesh Roshan’s Khatta Meetha, Des Pardes, Ek Hi Raasta, Duniya Meri Jeb Main and Baton Baton Mein among others. The popular songs included ‘Aji Suniye Zaraa Rukiye’ (Parvarish), ‘Aati Rahengi Baharen’ (Kasme Vaade), ‘Nazar Lage Na Sathiyon’ (Des Pardes, ‘Dekh Mausam Keh Raha Hai’ (Duniya Meri Jeb Main) and ‘Uthe Sab Ke Kadam’ ‘Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch’ (Baton Baton Mein).He began the eighties on a high note with his Qurbani chart - topper, ‘Laila O Laila’ and the Hum Paanch LP duet, ‘Kaa Janu Main Sajaniya’. And in that year, he got his major breakthrough - Love Story, with super - hit numbers like ‘Yaad Aa Rahi Hai’ and ‘Dekho Maine Dekha Hai’. He also won the FilmFare award for these songs. Having developed a style distinct from his father’s, yet with a degree of similarity, Amit Kumar continued to get hit numbers in the 80’s - his busiest decade as a singer. The major hits included ‘Jaaneman Jaan - e - Jigar’ (Ghazab), ‘Dushman Na Kare’ (Akhir Kyon?), ‘Yeh Zameen Ga Rahi Hai’ (Teri Kasam), ‘Main Hoon Haseena’ (Poonam), and very soon Amit Kumar entered the top league of singers, with Rafi and Mukesh no longer around, and Mahendra Kapoor and Manna Dey on a decline.R. D. Burman gave him major songs, albeit less successful than Love Story, like Romance, Teri Kasam, Lovers and Jawaani (‘Tu Rootha To Main Ro Doonga Sanam'). Amit sang under a vast array of composers like Usha Khanna, Shankar (Jaikishan), Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Bappi Lahiri, Anand - Milind and others. Various stars for whom he had given voice includes Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor, Randhir, Rishi and Rajeev Kapoor, Kumar Gaurav, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Raj Babbar, Vinod Mehra, Govinda, Jackie Shroff and of course Amitabh Bachchan in these two decades.He soon hit it big with "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab in 1988. He had subsequent hits like "Oye Oye" from Tridev in 1989 and others until 1991 when he began to fade away resulting in an invasion of the music world by Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and later, by Abhijeet. After a brief hiatus, Amit returned to singing with albums like "MAD" and "Dam Dama Dam" with crazy songs which are his trademark.After his father’s death in 1987, some music directors did try to give him Kishore - esque songs, but Amit did not want to end up as his father’s clone. Amit ended the decade in a blaze of glory with two chart - topping hits, Tezaab (‘Ek Do Teen’) and ‘Keh Do Ki Tum Ho Meri’) and Tridev (‘Tirchi Topiwale’).During late 80's and initial 90's he delivered hits with composers such as Rajesh Roshan, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Anand Milind, Jatin Lalit, and Ram Laxman. These included 'Kabse Kare Hai Tera Intezar', 'Kehdo Ke Tum Ho Meri', 'Mai Jis Din Bhula', 'Pehla Pehla Pyar Hai', 'Tip Tip Tip Barish', 'Tere Liye Saari Umar Jaagu', 'Aankho Mein Band Kar Loo', 'Jao Tum Chahe Jahan', and 'Sooney Shaam Saverey'.Mid 90's saw rise of other singers like Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan. During this phase Amit Kumar share of popular musical hits decreased as composers drifted towards other singers. Currently Amit Kumar performs international stage shows highlighting his father's and his own songs.He recently sang a song in the bollywood movie"Apna Sapna Money Money" titled "Dil Mein Baji Guitar".In the 90’s, he had hit songs in Ghayal, Hum, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, Khel, Vishwatma, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Gurudev, Indrajeet, Judaai and other films, but now he barely gets a few songs every year and no solos. His latest songs have been for Dillagi, Hum Tumpe Marte Hain and Beti No.1. He mainly does shows and Bengali albums, and none of his Hindi albums - including the brilliant Mad, which he sang and composed - proved hits.Amit has done concerts in every part of the world singing his own hits along with hits of his father. Not just in the Hindi film industry, but even in the Bengali film industry. Amit Kumar is a name to reckon with. He has gigantic hits to his credit. His non-filmi albums like 'Mad' have shown that he is an ace composer and an innovative singer just like his father.

Jaspinder Narula

Jaspinder Narula

CONGRATULATIONS are certainly in order for the pretty and petite Jaspinder Narula who, by sweeping the ‘Best Female Singer" awards both at Film-Fare and Screen, has more than proved the reach and realism of her vocal chords......!

Without doubt, this sohni Sikhni from Delhi has simply landed herself into the big time as far as playback singing is concerned. And this is where her (bigger) problems begin how to deal with the suddenly spiked situation when she is required for recording at three different studios at the same time. Yeah, this kudi Punjab di has abruptly been elevated to the prized pedestal of being one of Bollywood’s most in demand film song warblers. To the extent, that both Jas and her secretary, Bharat, are going crazy over the constantly jangling telephones people asking for song mastering, and the press cajoling for an interview... to name but a few of the desperadoes!
And yet, in the midst of all this success scream, I must say that Jaspinder is cool and cordial to the extent of inviting a scribe to hop into her car (even as she hands the steering over to pretty sis Pammi) and drive with her all the way to her Andheri residence in order to complete the rap session! Well, she deserved her laurels. And she’s got ‘em. After all, with that superb singing with Remo for Pyar To Hona Hi Tha, award to milna hi tha!, right?

The guys at VENUS Records & Tapes couldn’t have timed the release of their new album better. At a glittering function held at the special audio-video wing of a Juhu hotel it was flashbulbs and spotlight all the way when an impressive number of filmland bigwigs turned up in brocade finery to grace the function.

As a matter of fact, although the official time was 8.30 PM the VIP guests were still coming in as late as 12 midnight! Videos from Jas’s first Indipop album Kuch Kuch Dil Mein were repeatedly screened on demands... and the presence of Pooja Batra, Mink Singh not to forget Anjela Zaveri, mere...!

Petty PROs
Funnily enough, the film PROs have become so petty, that they’re probably doing more anti than pro publicity for their new releases. I mean, whereas the music companies are ensuring the best (and maximum) participation of the press persons at their functions and parties be it the release of their latest audio album or multistar movie the actual film publicists have suddenly started showing a whole lot of whims.....!
Like, they send out invites for a film’s shoot, preview of party as if they can’t count beyond 10! What’s more, a couple of PROs have even had the audacity to yell at some scribes or lensmen to leave the venue... even if they’d been very especially invited directly by the stars or the producer, director!!!

No wonder a foul feeling is growing amongst the Fourth Estate and they may soon begin to boycott such events. As it is, hardly two films out of 20 manage a good, favourable review; so you can well imagine what publicity these so called PROs will be able to garner if the boycott comes on!

Mamta

SINGER Mamta has sung the title song of `Rakhi'

After playing the star struck fan of a singer in `Madhuchandralekha,' Mamta Mohandas has now gone a step ahead and lent her voice for the title song of Telugu movie `Rakhi,' starring NTR junior and Ileana, which is being directed by Krishnavamsi.

Says Mamta, " My co-star Siddharth in the Telugu movie `Atta' and I were discussing music during the movie's photo shoot when I sang a tune. Music director Devi Sri Prasad, who was there on the sets, heard me and asked if I would drop by his recording studio.
"We jammed for a couple of hours and he told me about `Rakhi' and how he was looking for a voice. I was asked to sing the title song for the movie."'

A Telugu number, the music director wrote the lyrics for Mamta in English. "I am great in singing any language written in English," she says.
Malayali touch

According to Mamta, the number in `Rakhi' is peppy. "It has a Malayali touch as the chenda is used in the piece."

She adds she will be delivering the notes in a base voice. "Not many know I can sing base ," she says.

Although she is known to render melodies while participating in stage shows, not many know that she is a trained singer. It was her father, Mohandas, who pushed her into learning Carnatic music. She, however, found it not to her taste and branched off to Hindustani. "I loved Hindustani.

I didn't need any prodding; I attended the classes whole-heartedly."
Mamta will also be rendering a tune in `Atta.' "I have been asked to sing a duet with Sidhharth."
However Mamta, who will be seen shortly as a lawyer in Shaji Kailas' `Baba Kalyani' opposite Mohanlal, says, this does not mean a change in career. "My focus is on acting as of now.
I'm not a playback singer yet. If any good offer comes, I will grab it though."