A timeless icon and a voice that continues to mesmerise, Kishore Kumar was an unparalleled force in Indian cinema. The singer and actor was an eccentric genius, who was also famous for his playful antics, earning him the moniker of the "Mad Genius."
When Kishore Kumar buried his car in his bungalow
There are so many tales of his antics - from shaving half his head to recover dues from a producer to charging 25 paise per song to perform at his brother’s party to doing things to irk the filmmakers so that they don’t cast him. One of the most bizarre tales surrounding the iconic singer involves a car buried beneath his bungalow, Gauri Kunj.
Kishore Kumar’s bungalow, Gauri Kunj, located in Mumbai’s Juhu area, was once a bustling hub of film activity. During an episode of "The Kapil Sharma Show," host Kapil Sharma asked Amit Kumar about the rumour of a car being buried under their house. Amit confirmed the story and said, “Yes, it’s true. The bungalow belongs to Kishore sahib. When he became a hero for the first time, he bought a green-colored car with my mother. They purchased it in 1949, and it was their first car. The car was with us for about 10-12 years. I remember seeing it until 1959.”
When asked how the car ended up underground, Amit chuckled and explained that it happened after his parents separated. “My father was like that. On the day of his divorce, he buried the car,” Amit revealed.
In a 2022 interview with the Bombay Times, Amit mentioned that the car buried under the bungalow is a green Morris Minor. “The day my parents divorced, he buried his Morris Minor car in this bungalow. He had bought it with my mother after his first film as a hero - Andolan. That was Kishore Kumar,” he said.
Kishore Kumar's wives
Amit Kumar’s mother, Ruma Guha Thakurta, was the niece of iconic Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray. She married Kishore Kumar in 1950, and Amit was born in 1952. After divorcing Kishore, Ruma remarried and had two more children. Kishore Kumar, on the other hand, married Madhubala, Yogita Bali, and Leena Chandavarkar after his separation from Ruma. Leena stayed with him until his death in 1987.
The singer's bungalow is now a restaurant
In 2022, Virat Kohli transformed Kishore Kumar’s bungalow into a modern restaurant. The Gauri Kunj bungalow now serves as a contemporary eatery, offering a diverse menu that includes everything from North Indian to Mediterranean cuisines.