Six years after his death, the voice of Andrew Kishore continues to resonate across Bangladesh. For more than four decades, the legendary singer became the defining playback voice of Bangla cinema, recording over 15,000 songs and lending emotion to some of the country’s most memorable films.
Known as the “Playback King”, Andrew Kishore died on July 6, 2020, at the age of 64 after battling Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Even six years later, his songs remain fixtures on radio stations, television programmes and streaming playlists, continuing to connect with audiences across generations.
Born in Rajshahi on November 4, 1955, Kishore began his musical training under Abdul Aziz Bachchu before making his playback debut in 1977 with “Ochinpurer Rajkumari Nei Je Tar Keu” from the film “Mail Train”, composed by Alam Khan. The song launched a remarkable career that would make him one of Bangladesh’s most celebrated voices.
Over the next four decades, he delivered a string of enduring classics, including “Hayre Manush Rongin Phanush”, “Amar Buker Moddhye Khane”, “Dak Diyachhen Doyal Amare”, “Tomay Dekhle Mone Hoy”, “Ki Jadu Korila”, “Jiboner Golpo Achhe Baki Olpo”, and “Shobai To Bhalobasha Chay”. His versatility allowed him to move effortlessly between romantic ballads, devotional songs and emotionally charged film soundtracks.
His contribution to Bangladeshi cinema earned him eight National Film Awards for Best Playback Singer, beginning with “Hayre Manush Rongin Phanush” from “Boro Bhalo Lok Chilo” in 1982. He later received the honour for songs featured in “Khotipuron”, “Padma Meghna Jamuna”, “Kobul”, “Aj Gaye Holud”, “Shajghor”, and “Ki Jadu Korila”. He also recorded songs composed by legendary Indian music director R. D. Burman, extending his musical footprint beyond Bangladesh.
In September 2019, Kishore travelled to Singapore for advanced treatment after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He underwent months of treatment at Singapore General Hospital under oncologist Dr Lim Soon Thye before returning home. He died on July 6, 2020.
Reflecting on his legacy, musician Kumar Bishwajit told The Daily Star “He was truly an exceptional artiste, and definitely my favourite. To me, he was like a brother and a friend. We collaborated on several songs together and also performed together a few times on Hanif Sanket’s ‘Ityadi’ magazine programme. He lent his voice to my composition for a song from the film ‘Shami Strir Wada’. He is irreplaceable in our film industry. Andrew Kishore’s name will be written in golden letters in the history of film music.”
Few singers have left such an enduring imprint on Bangladesh’s film industry. Six years after his passing, Andrew Kishore’s voice continues to accompany the country’s collective memory—one timeless song at a time.
