Kumar Sanu (born 20 October 1957) is an Indian playback singer who was the defining romantic voice of 1990s Bollywood. After his breakthrough with Aashiqui in 1990, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer five years in a row. He also holds a Guinness world record for recording 28 songs in a single day. He received the Padma Shri in 2009.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Kedarnath Bhattacharya |
| Born | 20 October 1957, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India |
| Age | 68 |
| Profession | Playback singer |
| Father | Pashupati Bhattacharya (singer and composer) |
| Breakthrough | Aashiqui (1990) |
| Record | 28 songs recorded in one day (1993) |
| Honour | Padma Shri (2009) |
Early Life
Kumar Sanu was born Kedarnath Bhattacharya in Calcutta. His father, Pashupati Bhattacharya, was a classically trained singer and composer who taught him music. Kumar Sanu began by singing at stage shows in Kolkata, often performing Kishore Kumar songs.
Career
He moved to Mumbai in the late 1980s, and singer-composer Jagjit Singh helped him get early work. He took the name Kumar Sanu and recorded songs for smaller films before composers Nadeem–Shravan picked him for Aashiqui.
Aashiqui (1990) was a musical phenomenon, and Kumar Sanu sang almost all of its male songs, including “Ab Tere Bin” and “Nazar Ke Saamne”. He then won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer five consecutive times, from 1991 to 1995, for Aashiqui, Saajan, Deewana, Baazigar and 1942: A Love Story. His hits of the decade included “Tujhe Dekha To” from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha” and “Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain”.
At the peak of his popularity in 1993, Kumar Sanu recorded 28 songs in a single day, a feat recognised by Guinness World Records. He has sung thousands of songs in Hindi, Bengali and other languages and continues to perform at concerts worldwide.
Personal Life
Kumar Sanu’s first marriage, to Rita, produced three sons, including singer Jaan Kumar Sanu. He later married Saloni Bhattacharya, and they have two daughters, one of whom is the singer Shannon K.
Awards and Honours
Popular Songs
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Kumar Sanu born?
Kumar Sanu was born on 20 October 1957 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India.
