KK - Krishnakumar Kunnath Biography, Early Life, Singing Career

KK – Krishnakumar Kunnath Biography, Early Life, Singing Career

KK – Krishnakumar Kunnath Biography: Bollywood singer and performer KK passed away at 53, on May 31, 2022. He delivered a stage show, a live concert precisely, and reportedly fell down the stairs of the hotel later in the night of May 31, 2022. The singer was immediately taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead by the doctors. Later it was detected to be a heart attack, which was the major cause of his death. The singer has left a void in the Hindi film industry.

His songs would always remain in the playlist of all the people of the 90s. Let us take a look at KK’s biography below.

KK – Krishnakumar Kunnath: Biography

Full Name: KKKrishnakumar Kunnath
Born: 23 August, 1968 – Delhi, India
Died: 31 May, 2022 (aged 53) – Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Alma mater: Kirori Mal College (University of Delhi)
Occupation: Playback singer
Family:
  • Spouse: Jyothy Krishna (m. 1991–2022)
  • Children: Kunnath Nakul, Kunnath Taamara
  • Parents: Kanakavalli, C. S. Nair

KK or Krishnakumar Kunnath was born on 23rd August 1968. He was born in a Malayali family to Kunnath Kanakavalli and CS Menon. He was, however, brought up in New Delhi.

He completed his studies at Delhi’s Mount St Mary’s School and graduated from Kirori Mal College, DU. KK was married to Jyothy in 1991. The couple had a son named Nakul Krishna Kunnath and a daughter named Tamara Kunnath.

KK – Krishnakumar Kunnath Biography: Bollywood Career

Playback singing for KK began when he gave his demo tape to Loius Banks, Ranjit Barot and Lesle Lewis for a break in the music industry. He started singing jingles thereafter. He was called by UTV when he sang a jingle for Santogen Suiting ad.

He sang more than 3500 jingles in 4 years then in 11 different languages. His first break in Mumbai with UTV for jingles itself. Lesle Lewis was considered a mentor by him for giving him his first Indian jingle and making his way through Bollywood.

But it was AR Rahman who brought KK to the forefront of playback singing. He sang the famous song, “Kalluri Saaley” and “Hello Doctor” from Kadir’s Kadhal Desam and then “Strawberry Kannae” from AVM Productions’ musical film Minsara Kanavu.

He recorded over 700 songs in his singing career in languages including Hindi, Bengali, Kannada and Malayalam.

Big Bollywood Break: Tadap Tadap

The song which broke all records in 1999 was ‘Tadap Tadap‘ from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam which was sung by KK. Before that he lent his voice to Gulzar‘s song Chhod Aye Hum from Maachis movie but that hardly got him any accolades. That year, also Sony Music was looking for a new artiste and entered KK. He was selected as the artist of the year and came out with his debut solo album titled Pal with Lesle Lewis.

KK’s international fame:

In the year 2013, KK recorded a song for an international album ‘Rise Up Colours of Peace.’ The song was written by a Turkish poet Fethullah Gulen.

KK sang a song titled ‘Tanha Chala’ for a Pakistani TV show called ‘The Ghost’ in the year 2008.

In the year 2004, KK was honoured with the National Award for the song ‘Tu Aashiqui Hai.’

Illness and death:

On 31 May 2022, KK performed a concert at a college festival at Nazrul Mancha in South Kolkata. After the concert, he returned to his hotel in Esplanade. KK complained of feeling unwell on the way back to his hotel, where he experienced cardiac arrest. He collapsed, and efforts to revive him at the hotel were unsuccessful. KK was rushed to Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI) at about 10:30 pm, where he was declared dead. He was 53 years old.

KK was given a gun salute by the West Bengal government at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was present for the salute; film- and music-industry figures and politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offered their condolences. KK’s remains were brought to Mumbai, and his funeral was held at the Versova Hindu Cemetery on the following day (2 June). It was attended by family members, friends and colleagues.

Check Also

Blue Christmas Day: Date, History, Significance, Observance, Facts

Blue Christmas Day: Date, History, Significance, Observance, Facts

Blue Christmas: Blue Christmas in the Western Christian tradition, is a day in the Advent …