[20] Besides Hindi, he sang in many other Indian languages, including Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Malayalam, Odia and Urdu.

Music director Khemchand Prakash gave Kumar a chance to sing "Marne Ki Duayen Kyon Mangu" for the film Ziddi (1948).

[38] Kumar employed yodelling in many of his songs including; Yeh dil na hota bechara, Zindagi ek safar hai suhana, and Chala jata hoon.

[41] Kumar eventually developed his own style of singing, which featured yodelling, which he had heard on the records of Tex Morton and Jimmie Rodgers.[42]: 60 S.

[44] Asha Bhosle and Kishore performed duets composed by Burman including "Chhod Do Aanchal" from Paying Guest (1957), "Ankhon Mein Kya Ji" from Nau Do Gyarah (1957), "Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka" and "Paanch Rupaiya Baara Aana" from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and "Arre Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Gajab" from Teen Deviyan (1965).

Cat Maane Billi" and "Hum To Mohabbat Karega" from Dilli Ka Thug (1958) by Ravi, and "Chhedo Na Meri Zulfein" from Ganga Ki Lahren (1964) by Chitragupta.

Padosan was a comedy featuring Kishore as a dramatist-musician, Mehmood as a Carnatic music and dance teacher, and Sunil Dutt as a simpleton named Bhola.

[33] The highlight of the film was a musical, comical duel between Kumar, Sunil Dutt and Mehmood: "Ek Chatur Nar Karke Singaar.

Kumar sang three songs in the film; "Mere Sapnon Ki Rani", "Kora Kagaj Tha Ye Man Mera" and "Roop Tera Mastana".

[51] The commercially successful films of Kumar included Ladki (1953), Naukari (1954), Baap Re Baap (1955), Paisa Hi Paisa (1956), New Delhi (1956), Naya Andaz (1956), Bhagam Bhaag (1956), Bhai Bhai (1956), Aasha (1957), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Dilli Ka Thug (1958), Jaalsaaz (1959), Bombay Ka Chor (1962), Chacha Zindabad (1959), Man-Mauji (1962), Jhumroo (1961), Half Ticket (1962), Mr. X in Bombay (1964), Shreeman Funtoosh (1965), Ek Raaz (1963), Ganga Ki Lahren (1964), Hum Sab Ustaad Hai (1965), Haal E Dil, Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966), and Padosan (1968).

His onscreen pairing with actresses Mala Sinha, Vyjayanthimala, Nutan, Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Kumkum gave the biggest hits in his career.

[56] S. D. Burman and Kishore continued with music including "Ye dil na hota bechara" and "Aasmaan ke neeche" from "Jewel thief" (1967), "Phoolon Ke Rang Se" and "Shokhiyon Mein Ghola Jaaye" from Prem Pujari (1969), "Aaj Madhosh Hua Jaye Re," "Khilte Hain Gul Yahan" and "O Meri Sharmilee" from Sharmilee (1971), "Meet Na Mila" from Abhimaan (1973), and "Jeevan Ki Bagiya Mehkegi" from Tere Mere Sapne (1971).

[57] R. D. Burman recorded several songs with Kumar in the 1970s, including "O Maajhi Re" from Khushboo, "Yeh Shaam Mastaani" and "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai" from Kati Patang (1971), "Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mein Aayi" from Buddha Mil Gaya (1971) and "Chingari Koi Bhadke", "Kuch To Log Kahenge (Amar Prem)", "Zindagi Ke Safar Me Guzar Jaate Hain Jo Makam" from Aap Ki Kasam (1974), "Aane Wala Pal" from Golmaal (1979), "Hume Aur Jeene Ki Chahat Na Hoti" from Agar Tume Na Hote (1983), "Raha Pe Rahete Hai" from Namkeen (1985) and "Jab Bhi Koi Kangana" from Shaukeen (1987).

[19] R. D. Burman recorded several duets pairing Kishore with Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar, including "Panna Ki Tamanna" and "Bahut Door Mujhe" from Heera Panna (1973), "Neend Chura Ke Raaton Mein" from the film Shareef Budmaash (1973), "Mujhko Mohabbat Mein Dhoka" and "Kisise Dosti Karlo" from Dil Deewana (1974), "Dhal Gayi Rang" from Heeralal Pannalal (1978), "Ek Main Hoon" from Darling Darling (1977), "Rimjhim Gire Sawan" from Manzil (1979), "Kya Yehi Pyar Hai" and "Hum Tum Se Mile" from Rocky (1981), "Jaan-e-Jaan Dhoondta" from Jawani Diwani, "Kahin Na Jaa" and "Kaho Kaise Rasta" from Bade Dilwala (1983), "Sun Zara Shok Haseena" and "Kharishoo" from Harjaee (1981), "Waada Haanji Waada" from The Burning Train (1980) and "Kaisi Lagrahi Hoon Mein" from Jhuta Sach (1984).

Kumar sang "Bhool Gaya Sab Kuchh" (duet with Lata Mangeshkar) and "Dil Kya Kare Jab Kisise" for Rajesh Roshan's film Julie.

He also recorded for newcomers like Aditya Pancholi for the song "Mere Dil Mein Utar Jana" for the film Laal Paree (1991).

Kishore Kumar was highly popular in 80s, winning five Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the films Thodisi Bewafaii (1980), Namak Halaal (1982), Agar Tum Na Hote (1983), Sharaabi (1984), Saagar (1985).

He also sang duets with Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapoor, Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum, Sulakshana Pandit, S. Janaki, P. Susheela and Kavita Krishnamurthy.

[68] Kishore Kumar sang Bhajans like "Aao Kanhai Mere Dham" from Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972), "Devi Mata Rani" from Swarag Se Sunder (1986), "Jai Bholenath Jai Ho Prabhu" from Kunwara Baap (1974), "He Re Kanhaiya" from Chhoti Bahu (1971), "Jab Ram Naam Le Le" from Abhi Toh Jee Le (1977), "Kahe Apno K Kaam Nahi Aye Tu" from Raampur Ka Lakshman (1972), "Krishna Krishna, Bolo Krishna" from Naya Din Nai Raat (1974), "Prabhuji Teri Leela Aparampaar" from Humsafar (1953) etc.

[59][71] Kishore Kumar sang Ghazals like "Peechhli Yaad Bhula Do" from Mehndi (1983), "Aisi Haseen Chandni" from Dard (1981), "Yun Neend Se Woh Jaan-E-Chaman" from Dard Ka Rishta (1982), "Tera Chehra Mejhe Gulab Lage" from Aapas Ki Baat (1981) and "Sarakti jaaye hai rukh se naqaab" from film Deedar e Yaar (1982) with Lata Mangeshkar under the music direction of Laxmikant Pyarelal and penned by famous Urdu shayar Ameer Meenai and many more.

Ashok Kumar persuaded him to do the scene but when the shooting started, Kishore walked a few paces and said, Paanch Hazaar Rupaiya (five thousand rupees) and did a somersault.

[81] In the 1960s, a financier named Kalidas Batvabbal, who was disgusted with Kumar's alleged lack of cooperation during the shooting of Half Ticket, reported to the income tax authorities, who raided his house.

[81] By September 1987, Kishore Kumar had decided to retire as he was unhappy with kind of songs and tunes being made by music directors and was planning to return to his birthplace Khandwa.

[89][90] Kumar's funeral procession was one of the largest for a non-political film personality, with an estimated crowd of around 5,000-7,000 people in various en-routes of Bombay including his house in Gauri Kunj, Bandra, Santa Cruz, Linking Road, Khar, Dharavi and R.K. Studios in Chembur, and an even bigger crowd estimated between 90,000 to 1,50,000 when his body had reached his hometown in Khandwa for cremation as per his last wish.

[1][91][92].The entire film industry, had plunged into grief and shock due to his untimely passing away with an outpouring of tributes from various veterans from the industry including Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Pran, Nutan, Manoj Kumar, Vinod Khanna, Rajendra Kumar, Randhir Kapoor, Om Prakash, Vinod Mehra, B.R.

Chopra, Suresh Oberoi, Danny Denzongpa, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Hemlata, Mohammed Aziz, Shabbir Kumar, Bappi Lahiri, R.D.

Burman, Kalyanji-Anandji, Ravindra Jain, Sulakshana Pandit, Lalit Pandit, Vijyeta Pandit, Shyamlal Mitra,Anand Bakshi, Gulzar, Khayyam, Balasaheb Thackeray, Salil Chaudhary, Tanuja Mukherjee, Saira Banu, Pradeep Kumar,Poonam Dhillon, Deepti Naval, Mala Sinha, Nadeem-Shravan, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Alka Yagnik, Vijay Anand, Chetan Anand, Johnny Lever, Amrish Puri, Anu Malik, Javed Akhtar, Salim Khan, Uttam Singh, and many others.

The poll saw neck-to-neck competition between Rafi (who ultimately attained victory by a slim margin of 1.72% having gained 35.32%) and Kishore Kumar, followed by Lata Mangeshkar (24.59%), Mukesh (3.33%) and Asha Bhosle (3.16%) respectively.

"[118] Actress Vyjayanthimala said: Hindi film superstar Amitabh Bachchan called Kishore Kumar a multitalented genius who shall remain a phenomenal star.

[120] Former cricketer and batsman Sachin Tendulkar said: Kumar's unreleased song was sold for Rs 15.6 lakh at the Osian's Cinefan Auction, New Delhi in 2012, the highest price bid for any Indian singer.