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Shabbir Kumar is a renowned Indian playback singer, born on 26 October 1954 in Baroda, Bombay State, India. Beginning his music career in his home city, it was his association with the famous orchestra group, Melody Makers, which paved the way for his success. Kumar gained recognition when music director Usha Khanna gave him a break in the film Tajurba (1981), however his major breakthrough came when he was given the opportunity to perform in the film Coolie (1983). Kumar's melodious voice and versatility made him a sought-after singer in the 1980s. Performing for leading music directors, including Rahul Dev Burman, Chitragupt, Kalyanji-Anandji, Rajesh Roshan, Usha Khanna, and A.R. Rahman, some of his notable songs include duet “Shaam Hai Ye Kuch Khoyi Khoyi” from Prem Tapasya (1983), “Gori Hai Kalaiyan” from Aaj Ka Arjun (1990) and “Sochna Kya” from Ghayal (1990). Kumar's contribution to the music industry is immense, with over 6000 songs and more than 1500 films in his portfolio. He has also sung in various languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Oriya, Malayalam, and English. Kumar has received numerous accolades for his contribution to the music industry, including 34 Gold and 16 Platinum discs. He has also been awarded the Best Playback Singer award in Dubai, UAE, and the inaugural Mohammed Rafi Award as well as the Kalaa Ratan Award from the President of India, Zail Singh. In the 1990s, Kumar shifted his focus to stage shows, continuing to sing for films and on albums, with hits such as “Ghaath” (2000), “Awara Paagal Deewana” (2002), and “Aan: Men at Work” (2004). After an extended hiatus, he returned in 2010 with the song "Papa Jag Jayega" from the film Housefull and in 2020 and 2021, released albums Yeshu and Sai Deep, as well as numerous EPs and singles including “Krishna Krishna Hay Krishna” (2020), “Janam Janam Ke Phere” (2021), Betaab – Jhankar Beats (EP) (2022); a collaboration with singer Lata Mangeshkar, followed by “Duaa” (2023).
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