Late singer KK (Krishnakumar Kunnath) got his first break with the song "Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan" from Gulzar's film Machis. However, it was the success of the song "Tadap Tadap" from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam that brought him widespread recognition, making KK a beloved figure in the music industry. Tragically, KK passed away due to a heart attack in 2022.Let’s revive the magic of KK’s voice and watch this rare flashback interview, where the late singer talks about his life before Bollywood, his first break, his hit songs, and more. Also, catch him performing some of his best-loved songs during the interview. #KrishnakumarKunnath #kk #tadaptadap #humdildechukesanam
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00:00Hum Rahe Ya Na Rahe Kal
00:06Kal Yaad Aayenge Pal
00:12A singer or an artist needs a hit
00:15to be recognized by people
00:16So when someone says KK, who is KK?
00:17The one who sang Taro Taro
00:18He says, okay, okay, yes
00:19Ajab Hai Ishq Yaara
00:25Pal Do Pal Ki Khushiyaan
00:30Gham Ke Khazane Milte Hai Phir
00:34Milti Hai Tanhaiyaan
00:39I came to Bombay in 1994-95
00:44And before that, prior to that in Delhi
00:47I was doing jingles
00:48I used to do jingles there
00:50I used to produce a little but I used to sing a lot
00:52So even after coming here, I started doing jingles
00:55I entered AdWords
00:57I started my jingles career with Leslie
01:03And the first film I did was for Vishal
01:08Guldar Sahib's film Matches
01:10That was a very good break for me
01:13Because it was such a big film to be singing for
01:17Guldar Sahib
01:18And Vishal was a very nice guy
01:19He's a nice guy, he's a great guy
01:21But I'm just saying he was a nice guy
01:22Because at that time he was new
01:24And he was willing to try me as a new singer also
01:27The name is retro
01:28They want new singers
01:30To take established people
01:31So when they gave me a chance at that time
01:33I liked it a lot
01:35This song was
01:36Should I sing it?
01:38So the song is something like this
01:40Chhoda Hain Hum
01:45Wo Galiya
01:50Chhoda Hain Hum
01:55Wo Galiya
02:00And it was very important for my life
02:02Because I left Delhi and came here
02:04So when I sang this song for the first time
02:06And recorded it
02:07I felt very closely to this
02:09These two lines which I sang in this film
02:11And Guldar Sahib liked it a lot
02:12He kept this song in the beginning of the film
02:14And also kept it in the end
02:15He said that he sang it very well
02:17I will keep this song in two places
02:19And in the film
02:20Suresh ji, Hariharan and Saigal
02:23All of us sang together
02:25The whole song was sung together
02:26It's a beautiful song
02:27We had a great time at Western Outdoor
02:29I still remember it
02:30It's my first film song
02:31So it's very dear to me
02:33After that
02:34How did you
02:35What was the second thing you did?
02:37Okay
02:39After Marches
02:40It was not as though I had a lot of
02:42Singing offers coming my way
02:44Like I told you
02:45I got a jingle
02:46Once you are in Bombay
02:47You need to have some kind of focus
02:49You need to get the money rolling in
02:51You need to be on firm ground
02:52Because in Bombay
02:53You feel very shaky
02:54Initially I had a lot of
02:56Problems in my head
02:58Coming to Bombay
02:59When I was settling in Delhi
03:00You come to a new place
03:01You don't know anyone
03:02So I was a little tensed
03:03But once I got into the jingle
03:05So
03:07It kept going
03:08Daily
03:09Every second day you were doing something
03:10So I was not hard up for money
03:12Or work at that time
03:13So after Marches
03:15For some time
03:16I did not do anything
03:17Nothing really happened
03:18So
03:19Then one day I got a call
03:20From Madras
03:21Rehman had called me
03:22And he was here in Bombay
03:23And he
03:24I did a song for
03:25Shekhar Kapoor's film
03:26Tara Rampah
03:27I did my first song in that
03:29After that I went to Madras
03:31I did two more songs in that
03:32The movie is not out yet
03:33But the songs in that are very good
03:35Whenever it releases
03:36I am sure it will be a big hit
03:37Because the songs are fantastic
03:40And then I went on to do
03:41With Rehman
03:42Sapne
03:44There was a song in that
03:45Strawberry Aankhe
03:46It was a very good song
03:47Very well orchestrated
03:48And good fun song
03:49Very well picturized also
03:51After that
03:52I was in Bombay again
03:53Vishal was there
03:54I sang in Betabi
03:56And
03:57Then I did something
03:58For Anu Malik
03:59Slowly you know
04:00One song long back
04:01It was three years ago
04:02That film did not happen
04:04Then again
04:05I was doing jingles
04:06And slowly I got into
04:07My own album
04:08Which happened in 99
04:09And just around that time
04:11I did
04:12Hum Dil De Chuke
04:131945 film
04:15Tadap Tadap with Ismail
04:17That song
04:18It kind of
04:20It gave me an identity
04:21To be honest with you
04:23Till then nobody knew me at all
04:25Not that many people
04:26Know me now
04:27But I was saying
04:28With that you get an identity
04:29Some singer
04:30Some artist
04:31Needs a hit
04:32Just like they recognize people
04:33Then someone says KK
04:34Who is KK?
04:35The one who sang Tadap Tadap
04:36He says okay
04:37My friends call me
04:38The ones from school
04:39Or college
04:40Old friends
04:41They tell their friends
04:42Who is KK?
04:43KK is the one who sang it
04:45So you get that identity
04:46Which is very important for us
04:48If it's a good song
04:49And people identify you
04:51If they identify you
04:52With a nice song
04:54Then
04:55You kind of
04:56Start sailing
04:58Then after that
04:59Work started pouring in
05:01I did Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai
05:02I did Aks
05:03Banda Hai Bindas Hai
05:05And Aaja Gufaon Mein Ha
05:07Then
05:09Dhai Akshar Prem Ke
05:10Which I did with Jatin Ali
05:12So I started working
05:13On Anand Millen
05:14And Anadesh
05:15Deewanapan
05:17Suraj Bajaj Ji ki film hai
05:18Which is
05:19Main Prem Ki Deewani Ho
05:20In that I have sung
05:21All the five songs for Hrithik
05:22Which is a big thing for me
05:25It's a
05:27I'm waiting for that film
05:28But it's going to take a while
05:29So I'm very excited
05:30For that
05:32Then
05:33The film is still going on
05:34I'm doing it right now
05:36I've been doing a lot of songs
05:37So
05:39I don't say
05:40That
05:41I want to do a song every day
05:42But I just say that
05:43I want to do a good song
05:45So can you sing a few lines
05:46From Anand Deewanapan
05:48Okay
05:49This is my
05:50Claim to fame
05:52It goes something like this
05:55Ajab Hai Ishq Yara
06:01Pal Do Pal Ki Khushiya
06:07Gham Ke Khazane Milte Hai Phir
06:11Milti Hai Tanhaiya
06:15Kabhi Aansu
06:16Kabhi Aahen
06:17Kabhi Shikwe
06:19Kabhi Na Le
06:20Tera Chehra Nazar Aaye
06:24That was an Antara film
06:25Tarab Tarab
06:26It's one of my favourite songs
06:28How did you get Rehna Hai Tere Din Mein
06:30Rehna Hai Tere Din Mein
06:31Yeah actually
06:32I had gone down south again
06:33To do a song for
06:34Haris Jain
06:35Long back
06:36With a lovely song
06:37He's a very
06:38Very young guy
06:39And very
06:40Hip to music
06:42In a new way
06:43Kind of sounds
06:44And all that
06:45So he
06:46Called me to do
06:47A Tamil song
06:48And after that
06:49Kind of
06:50We kind of
06:51Hit it off
06:52So he had come here
06:53To do this song
06:55For
06:56Harshu Ji
06:58Toh main malom nahi tha
06:59Main
07:0040 Mein hum gaye the
07:01Yaar pe studio hai
07:02Bombay na
07:03Woh aa gaye aur
07:04Gaana wahi par record ke hai
07:05Samir Ji bhi the
07:06And
07:08I just loved the song
07:09Such an intricate
07:11I don't know
07:12The melody is
07:13So beautiful
07:14First time I heard it
07:15And
07:16And the whole
07:17You know
07:18The Antara hai
07:19It goes below
07:20It's like
07:21It goes much lower
07:22Than the Mukhda
07:23Thoda different treatment
07:24Of instrumentation
07:25Toh bahot acha laga hai
07:26Haan pe
07:27This was done
07:28This year
07:29Yeah
07:31Goes something like this
07:33Sach keh raha
07:34Sach keh raha hai
07:35Deewana
07:36Dil
07:37Dil na
07:38Kisi se
07:39Lagaana
07:41Jhoota hai
07:42Yaar ke
07:43Waade
07:44Sare
07:45Jhoota hai
07:46Pyaar
07:47Ki
07:48Qasme
07:49Maine har
07:50Lamha
07:51Jise
07:52Chaha
07:53Jise
07:54Pooja
07:55Usin
07:56Yaaro
07:57Mera
07:58Dil
07:59Thoda
08:00Thoda
08:01Tanha
08:02Tanha
08:04Sach keh raha
08:05Hai
08:06Deewana
08:07Dil
08:08Dil na
08:09Kisi se
08:10Lagaana
08:12Aur music videos ki shurwaat
08:14Haan
08:15Yeh
08:17Ninety nine main
08:19Actually I signed
08:20My contract with Sony Music
08:22In
08:23Ninety
08:24Seven
08:25And you know
08:26And they were looking out
08:27For an Indian
08:28Debut artist
08:29Sorry
08:30A debut artist in India
08:32Main bol raha hoon ki
08:33Mere ko kaafi kuch
08:34Luck se mila
08:35You know
08:36I've
08:37I've worked my own way
08:38But like people say na
08:39Tumne bahut struggle kiya hai
08:40Ya ki kiya
08:41To struggle to
08:42Har kisi
08:43Ko karna hi badta hai
08:44Apni taraf se na
08:45Everybody is struggling only
08:46I'm still struggling
08:47I mean I'm still struggling
08:48To do good song
08:49Or whatever you know
08:50And I'll do my second album
08:51Still struggling to do
08:52My second album
08:53So that never ends yaar
08:54You know
08:55It's just the way
08:56You think about life
08:57It's not as
08:58You can't say
08:59That it's a desperate
09:01It's not that
09:02It's just that
09:03How you do everything
09:04You know
09:05Everyday
09:06Daily you're doing something
09:07In a routine
09:08Or not in a routine
09:09So at that time
09:10When Sony Music
09:11Was looking for a
09:12Debut artist in India
09:13Leslie put me on to them
09:14So again Leslie was
09:15Instrumental in me
09:16Meeting them
09:17I never went to
09:18Sony Music
09:19Or Sony Music
09:20Didn't call up
09:21Aayi tum gaate ho to
09:22Milne aana ho zara
09:23Aisa kuch nahi tha
09:24Leslie put me on to him
09:25And I went
09:26I mean to
09:27Sony Music office
09:28And we chatted
09:29And then again
09:30We met again
09:31And we chatted
09:32And chatted
09:33Got to know
09:34Each other better
09:35You know
09:36It's like very
09:37Important to know
09:38And understand
09:39A person's point of view
09:40And a company's
09:41Point of view
09:42Both angles
09:43For me to understand
09:44Them and them
09:45To understand me
09:46Because tabhi
09:47Conviction hoti hai
09:48Aur conviction nahi ho
09:49Toh kuch
09:50Hoi nahi sakta
09:51Toh bahot aise
09:52Baachit
09:53Waartalaap
09:54Hone ke baad
09:55Ek din unhone ka
09:56Ki I think
09:57This guy fits
09:58I think he should
09:59Be an Indian
10:00Debut artist
10:01And that was a
10:02Big thing for me
10:03Because Sony Music
10:04Coming to India
10:05And signing me up
10:06As a debut artist
10:07Was a very
10:08Uplifting thing
10:09You know
10:10Morale boosting
10:11At that time
10:12Toh wo hua
10:13Aur gaane phir
10:14Par wo phir
10:15Waha par
10:16Rukh gaya
10:17Matab
10:18Ek saal
10:19Tak kuch nahi hota
10:2099 nahi baaki
10:21Release ho album
10:22Toh har kisi ka
10:23Ek waqt hota hai
10:24You know
10:25Yaha par jo hota hai
10:26Wahi hota hai
10:27Ki singer kaise bane
10:28Tumne aise kaise kar liya
10:29Jaldi ho gaya tumhara
10:30Jaldi toh kuch nahi hota hai
10:31Main toh 2 saal laga tha
10:32Album ke liya
10:33Toh it's
10:34It's never that
10:35How you think life
10:36Or how you want it to go
10:37It's never
10:38It's never like that
10:39It never is like that
10:40It's always like
10:41How it's destined
10:42You know
10:43I believe in destiny
10:44So strongly that
10:45You can't really
10:46Do anything
10:47Outside
10:48Toh 99 mein
10:49Mera album release hua
10:50Toh main bahot khush hua
10:51Matab
10:52Karne ke baad
10:53Main chhod diya tha
10:54Main raha ka
10:55Ki ab jab huayga
10:56Toh dikh nahi hai
10:57Puchte the
10:58Mere dost
10:59Kya hua album tumhara
11:00Toh rap tabho huni wala tha
11:01Main ho raha hai
11:02You gotta keep
11:03That positive element
11:04Inside
11:05So first song we did
11:06Was Pyaar Ke Pal
11:07Shot in Ooty
11:08Second one was
11:09Aapki Dua
11:10Shot in Kasauli
11:11All the hills
11:12Station
11:13Bharat Darshan
11:14Karne the
11:15From the south
11:16To the north
11:17But I love
11:18The hills ya
11:19Aur teesra toh
11:20Toh Yaro Dosti
11:21Woh Nagesh
11:22Kukuno ne kiya tha
11:23Direct
11:24Kyunki woh
11:25Aadhi took it
11:26For his film
11:27Rockford
11:28Toh we did it
11:29Internally
11:30Woh gaana jo tha
11:31Pehla
11:32Pyaar Ke Pal
11:33Shot in Kasauli
11:34All the hills
11:35Station
11:36Bharat Darshan
11:37Karne the
11:38From the south
11:39To the north
11:40But I love
11:41The hills ya
11:42Aur teesra toh
11:43Toh Yaro Dosti
11:44Woh Nagesh
11:45Kukuno ne kiya tha
11:46Direct
11:47Kyunki woh
11:48Aadhi took it
11:49For his film
11:50Rockford
11:51Toh we did it
11:52Internally
11:53Woh gaana jo tha