Rajkumar Hirani: I’m sure that Kishore Kumar’s songs will be sung for next 100 years

Hirani shared how, as a young fan who had just arrived in Mumbai from Nagpur, he stood outside Kishore Kumar’s bungalow in Juhu.

Mumbai: Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, who was honoured with the ‘Rashtriya Kishore Kumar Samman’ for the year 2023, is sure that late singer and actor Kishore Kumar’s songs will be sung for next 100 years.

The recognition came on the anniversary of Kishore Kumar’s death anniversary on October 13. The ceremony took place in Khandwa, the legendary musician’s birthplace, where the Madhya Pradesh government presented the filmmaker with the award. Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah honored him for his exceptional contributions to scriptwriting.

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Hirani shared how, as a young fan who had just arrived in Mumbai from Nagpur, he stood outside Kishore Kumar’s bungalow in Juhu. He remembered the lyrics of Kishore Kumar’s songs, which spoke of settling in Khandwa and enjoying milk and jalebi.

Hirani said, “Today, the same person who couldn’t enter Kishore Da’s Mumbai home is now being honored in his birthplace, Khandwa. Artists and directors may come and go, but songs live on. I’m sure that Kishore Da’s songs will be sung for the next 100 years.”

This marks a milestone for Hirani, as he becomes the 27th recipient of the National Kishore Kumar Award.

In a journey spanning over decades, Hirani has been feted with four National Film Awards. He has been tagged as one of the most successful filmmakers of Indian cinema as his movies are often lighthearted but revolve around significant societal issues with humour.

The 61-year-old filmmaker started his journey as a film editor. His first film as a professional editor was Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 2000 action drama “Mission Kashmir” starring Hrithik Roshan.

He started his journey in film direction with the comedy-drama “Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.” starring Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. He then went on to direct the sequel “Lage Raho Munna Bhai” in 2006.

In 2009, he released the Aamir Khan-starrer “3 Idiots”, which went on to become the highest grossing Indian film of its time. His next film, the science fiction religious satire “PK” in 2014 and in 2018 the biographical comedy-drama “Sanju” based on the life of actor Sanjay Dutt.

His latest directorial was “Dunki” starring Shah Rukh Khan, which hit the screens in 2023.