Kishore Kumar still owes Rs5 to college canteen

As the nation remembers playback legend Kishore Kumar on his 81st birthday, few may know that the singer still owes Rs5.12 (Dh0.4), immortalised in that famous song of 'Chalti Ka Naam Gadi', to his college canteen here.

Born on August 4, 1929, in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh, India, as Abhas Kumar Ganguly, Kishore went to the Christian College here after his matriculation, according to a report in Indian daily 'Asian Age'.

His college continues to remember the singer-actor for his exploits.

Swaroop Vajpayee, who teaches history in the college, said: “Kishore studied here from 1946 to 1948 and then went to Mumbai but he failed to pay Rs5.12 that he owed to the canteen owner.”

It is said that the small debt inspired the singer to write the song 'Panch rupaiya barah anna' in the 1958 film 'Chalti Ka Naam Gadi', which also starred his brothers Ashok Kumar and Anup Kumar and Madhubala.

According to college principal Amit David, stories related to the singer are now part of the college lore, reports PTI.

“Not many people know that Kishore was very shy and never gave a live performance. He would always insist on singing behind the curtain,” David said.

Relating another incident, Vajpayee said: “Once Kishore was using the bench in the classroom as a tabla, which angered his civics teacher. He told Kishore to stop wasting time like that. Kishore smiled and told the teacher that he intended to earn his livelihood by singing.”