10 iconic Hindi films that KK sang for

Screen grab from director Nagesh Kukunoor's film 'Rockford' in which KK sang 'Yaaron'. (Image: YouTube/SonyMusicIndiaVEVO)

Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, died of a cardiac arrest in Kolkata om May 31. He was 53. In this short lifetime, he created a remarkable body of work as a singer in numerous Indian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Assamese, Marathi, Telugu and Kannada. We spotlight 10 iconic Hindi films that he lent his voice to.

Maachis (1996)

In this film about a violent insurgency in Punjab that arose after Operation Blue Star, the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and the anti-Sikh riots in north India, filmmaker-lyricist Gulzar and music director Vishal Bhardwaj got KK to sing Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan along with Hariharan, Suresh Wadkar, and Vinod Sehgal. It is a beautiful song depicting the camaraderie between young men fondly reminiscing about their past.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)

KK paired up with Dominique Serejo to sing Tadap Tadap in this film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It is a cry of despair that resonates with anyone who has felt the pain of unrequited love. Mehboob wrote the lyrics, and Ismail Darbar composed the music. KK also sang Kaipoche, a spirited song set against the backdrop of Uttarayan, the kite-flying festival in Gujarat. He was joined by Damayanti Bardai, Jyotsna Hardikar and Shankar Mahadevan.

Rockford (1999)

Yaaron, the song that KK sang for Nagesh Kukunoor’s directorial debut is a staple at sleepovers, farewell parties, and alumni reunions. It is a tribute to the restorative power of friendship. It has a haunting quality that rubs off on you, whether you have watched the movie or not. Lesle Lewis was the music director on this film, and Mehboob was the lyricist.

Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

KK teamed up with singers Shaan and Shankar Mahadevan to sing Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe in this film exploring the coming-of-age of three friends through the directorial vision of Farhan Akhtar. It is unimaginable without Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music and Javed Akhtar’s lyrics. This song retains its vitality and fearlessness even after two decades of being around.

Aks (2001)

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's film turned out to be too offbeat for mainstream acclaim but the songs took on a life of their own. Anu Malik, the music director, roped in KK to sing two of them – the raunchy Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai, which is a solo act, and the sinister Aaja Gufaaon Mein Aa, which is a duet with Vasundhara Das. Gulzar wrote the lyrics for these.

Saathiya (2002)

When Shaad Ali directed this remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film Alaipayuthey, he must have realized that the youthful romance would be incomplete without KK’s vibrant voice. KK sang O Humdum Suniyo Re with Kunal Ganjawala and Shaan. He did one more song – Mangaalyam – with Srinivas, Shaan and Kunal Ganjawala. Both were instant hits. The fact that A.R. Rahman composed the music, and Gulzar wrote the lyrics, certainly helped.

Jhankaar Beats (2003)

This movie, directed by Sujay Ghosh, is a tribute to the legendary composer R.D. Burman. The music director duo Vishal-Shekhar got KK to sang Tu Aashiqui Hai, which is certainly the highlight of the album. He also lent his voice to two other songs in the film – Jo Gaya Woh Gaya with Vishal Dadlani, and Jab Kabhi Chand Na Ho with Mahalakshmi Iyer.

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

This love triangle directed by Nikkhil Advani was appreciated for the freshness of its music when it released. KK sang the foot-tapping party song It’s the Time to Disco with Loy Mendonsa, Shaan and Vasundhara Das. It became famous for its signature step and struck a different note from the other songs in the film, which are either philosophical or sentimental.

Jism (2003)

Amit Saxena’s film exploring a torrid extra-marital affair was promoted as an erotic thriller, and the music by MM Kreem was used to heighten its emotional appeal and sensual impact.

KK did an excellent job with the song Awarapan Banjarapan, bringing to life Sayeed Quadri’s thoughtful lyrics about a mind that is lonely, restless, and hungry for affection.

Main Hoon Na (2004)

Choreographer Farah Khan signed Anu Malik to compose the music and Javed Akhtar to write the lyrics for her directorial debut, which was quintessential blockbuster fare. KK sang three amazing songs in this film – Chale Jaise Hawaaein with Vasundhara Das, Yeh Fizayein with Alka Yagnik, and Gori Gori with Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal and Anu Malik.

This list is only the tip of the iceberg. KK’s repertoire is vast and multi-faceted.