KUMAR SANU BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Kumar Sanu, often called the "Melody King of Bollywood", is one of the most successful playback singers in the history of Hindi cinema. Born Kedarnath Bhattacharya on 20 October 1957 in Calcutta, he became the defining male voice of the 1990s, ruling the charts for nearly a decade.

His breakthrough came with the musical romance Aashiqui (1990), for which he sang nearly all the male solos. That success launched an unprecedented run — Kumar Sanu won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer five years in a row, from 1991 to 1995, a record that still stands.

Early Life

Kumar Sanu was born Kedarnath Bhattacharya on 20 October 1957 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal. Wikipedia gives this date, though some outlets list his birthday as 23 September 1957. His father, Pashupati Bhattacharya, was a vocalist and composer who trained him in singing and tabla from a young age. Sanu earned a commerce degree from Calcutta University and began giving public performances in 1979.

Growing up, Sanu modeled his singing style on his idol, the legendary Kishore Kumar — read our Kishore Kumar biography for more. A turning point came when ghazal legend Jagjit Singh gave him his first chance in Hindi films with Aandhiyan. In 1989, Jagjit Singh introduced him to the composer duo Kalyanji-Anandji, who suggested he adopt the stage name "Kumar Sanu" — and a legend was born.

Career

Sanu's big breakthrough arrived with Aashiqui (1990). The Nadeem-Shravan soundtrack became a cultural phenomenon, and Sanu — who sang nearly all the male solos — became an overnight star. What followed was one of the most dominant runs in Bollywood playback singing: Saajan (1991), Deewana (1992), Baazigar (1993) and 1942: A Love Story (1994) all featured his chart-topping vocals.

Through the 1990s, Sanu remained the industry's most in-demand male voice, alongside contemporaries like Udit Narayan — see our Udit Narayan biography . His duets with the leading ladies of the era, including the legendary Lata Mangeshkar — read our Lata Mangeshkar biography — produced timeless hits. Fans of his Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge classic can also find the Tujhe Dekha To lyrics on our site.

Beyond Hindi, Sanu has sung in Bengali, Nepali, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Odia. He has also served as a mentor and judge on television music reality shows, and his official YouTube channel @thekumarsanuofficial has over 1.25 million subscribers.

Awards and Records

Kumar Sanu holds a record no other male playback singer has matched: five consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer — in 1991 for Aashiqui, 1992 for Saajan, 1993 for Deewana, 1994 for Baazigar and 1995 for 1942: A Love Story.

In 1993, he entered the Guinness World Records by recording 28 songs in a single day. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2009, and in 2022 he received the Banga Bibhushan, West Bengal's highest civilian award.

Personal Life

Per Wikipedia, Kumar Sanu's first marriage was to Rita Dutta in 1986; the couple had three children and divorced in February 1994. He married Saloni Bhattacharya in 2001, and they have two daughters, including singer Shannon Kumar.

Watch the Official Video

Watch the official video of "Mera Ek Sapna Hai" from Khoobsurat, featuring Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurthy, on the T-Series Bollywood Classics YouTube channel:

FAQs

When was Kumar Sanu born?

Kumar Sanu was born as Kedarnath Bhattacharya on 20 October 1957 in Calcutta, West Bengal. Wikipedia states this date, though some outlets list 23 September 1957.

Which film made Kumar Sanu famous?

The 1990 musical romance Aashiqui made Kumar Sanu an overnight star. He sang nearly all the male solos in its Nadeem-Shravan soundtrack, which became one of the best-selling Bollywood albums of all time.

How many Filmfare Awards did Kumar Sanu win?

Kumar Sanu won five consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer, from 1991 to 1995 — a record for the category.

What is Kumar Sanu's Guinness World Record?

In 1993, Kumar Sanu entered the Guinness World Records for recording 28 songs in a single day.