As a judge, what are you looking for in the contestants of K For Kishore?

We are not looking for a Kishore Kumar; that is not possible. Kishore Kumar cannot be duplicated. We are looking for a singer who can modulate his voice like Kishoreda and bring back his memories. He should also be an all-rounder, who can sing all kind of songs, happy or sad. Kishoreda had this unique quality of adapting himself to any kind of song. He could sing a sad song (Ghungroo ki tarah) and a fast number (Khaike paan banaraswala) with equal ease.

You sound like a real Kishore fan...

I always say that if you remove Kishore Kumar from the life of Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand, Amitabh Bachchan or Rishi Kapoor, then they are… I’m a singer; but since I’m Kishore Kumar’s chela, I’m also an entertainer. When I sing, I do not stand in one place.

Why did you agree to be a judge on the show?

This is the first time that I have been recognised as a singer. The producers of the show might have realised that I was very close to Kishoreda. I have done so many stage shows with Kishoreda. Every Sunday, we used to go to his residence Gauri Kunj. I was in the Melody Makers orchestra and whenever Kishoreda had stage shows, Melody Makers would play for him. I used to compere his shows... Kishore Kumar never got what he actually deserved. Maybe this show is the starting point; and later we could have shows on Rafisaab, Mukeshji, Lataji, Ashaji. Recently a magazine conducted a survey and found that Kishore Kumar was the most heard singer across the globe!

What memories of him do you have?

He was a special man in totality. He was extremely loving towards me and wanted only me to introduce him during stage shows. He did not like any other celebrity to introduce him. Whenever we had to go out of the country, he would check if my passport was ready. I can say all this with pride. Once he met me at the airport and said ‘Arre meri awaaz mein gaate ho! The first time I heard your song, I thought I had sung it. Only after hearing it 5-6 times, did I realise that this is not my voice.” Then he made Leenaji and Amit Kumar listen to the song and even they could not make out whether it was Kishoreda’s voice or mine. This is an achievement for me. After he died, there were lots of films in which a few songs had been recorded by him so they asked me to finish the other songs.

Won’t the absence of an audience voting system affect popularity?

The voting system has spoilt everything. You will not believe what kind of public response I have received. Ever since the show was made official, I have been receiving calls and SMSs from people who want to participate in the show. Moreover, Kishore Kumar’s name is enough to draw audiences.

You were a contestant in Jjhoom India...

Now I know the tension which a contestant goes through when performing. In Jjhoom we were mentors to the untrained celebrities. The judgment was not passed on us.

Does it bother you that people recognise you as Kishore Kumar’s voice?

Why would it bother me? After all it is Kishore Kumar’s voice. Sudesh Bhosle is the one and only.

Why have you become known as someone who can sing in other people’s voices?

My song, Jumma Chumma, for Laxmiji was an experiment. Even now people do not believe that it was I who sang the song and not Amitabh Bachchan. Jayaji fought with Amitabhiji for a year-and-a-half, insisting that he and not I had sung Jumma chumma. At times I tried to sing songs in my own voice but while doing stage shows, people wanted me to sing songs in other people’s voice! Finally, I am an entertainer and a performer. I’m here because of the people and will do what the people like. I have even sung in the voice of Raaj Kumar! Recently, I did a stage show in 14 voices. I mimic people; not make fun of them.

Which are your upcoming films?

I have sung in Aladdin and Bhootnath for Amitji and Bombay Classic for Mahesh Manjrekar. In Horn Ok Please I have given playback for Nana Patekar. I’m also singing for a film called Sadiyan for which Adnan Sami is composing the music.

Are you happy with what you have achieved?

Even a singer like Kishore Kumar was unhappy with things. No one is happy in our industry.