Interesting Facts about Indian Playback Singer Krishnakumar Kunnath (KK)

The Indian playback singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, is honored in today’s Google Doodle. He is best known for his versatility. His soulful and romantic recordings of songs in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Bengali, Assamese, and Gujarati are widely remembered. He is recognized as one of India’s brightest and most talented playback singers throughout history. On October 25, 1996, KK made his playback singing debut with the song “Chhod Aaye Hum,” which featured in the film Maachis. Here are some interesting and amazing facts about Krishnakumar Kunnath.

Who is Krishnakumar Kunnath (KK)?

Here is a look at the life and work of Krishnakumar Kunnath (KK).

Quick Look

• Birth name: Krishnakumar Kunnath
• Birth date: 23 August 1968
• Birthplace: Delhi, India
• Died on: 31 May 2022 (aged 53)
• Death place: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
• Father name: C. S. Nair
• Mother name: Kanakavalli
• Spouse: Jyothy Krishna
• Alma mater: Kirori Mal College (University of Delhi)
• Famous as: Playback singer

30 Interesting Facts about Krishnakumar Kunnath (KK)

1. Krishnakumar Kunnath, also known as KK, was an Indian playback singer.
2. KK began his career singing advertising jingles before making his feature debut in 1996 with a song in Maachis.
3. KK’s debut album, Pal, was released in 1999. The album’s songs “Pal” and “Yaaron” gained popularity and are now featured at school graduations. The album proved to be his career breakthrough.
4. His first Filmfare Awards nomination for Best Male Playback Singer came with the song “Tadap Tadap Ke” from the 1999 film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
5. KK was popularly known as “The Mesmerizer” because of his romantic songs. KK won Screen Awards for Best Singer – Male (non-film music) for his song “Pal” and Best Playback Singer – Male for “Khuda Jaane” from the film Bachna Ae Haseeno.
6. On August 23, 1968, Krishnakumar Kunnath was born in Delhi, to Malayali parents. He spent his childhood in New Delhi.
7. KK studied at Mount St. Mary’s School in Delhi and Kirori Mal College at Delhi University. He appeared in the song “Josh of India,” which was released in support of the Indian national cricket team at the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
8. KK went on to pursue his passion for music after earning a degree in commerce from Kirori Mal College and working as a marketing executive for six months. He tried to establish himself in the competitive recording industry, singing at hotels to make ends meet. KK went to Mumbai in 1994.
9. In 1994, KK gave a demo tape to Louis Banks, Ranjit Barot, and Lesle Lewis. He was called by UTV and performed a jingle for a Santogen Suiting advertisement.
10. For approximately four years, KK performed approximately 3,500 jingles in 11 languages before getting into Bollywood. Because she gave him his first jingle to sing in Mumbai, he considered Lesle Lewis to be his mentor.
11. Following that, KK began performing as a playback singer, beginning with “Kalluri Saaley” by A. R. Rahman, “Hello Dr.” from “Kadir’s Kadhal Desam,” and “Strawberry Kannae” from AVM Productions’s 1997 musical film, Minsara Kanavu.
12. KK achieved six Filmfare Awards nominations. He won the 2009 Screen Awards Best Playback Singer – Male award for the song “Khuda Jaane” from the film Bachna Ae Haseeno.
13. In 2022, KK collaborated with film director Srijit Mukherji and lyricist Gulzar on a song for Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga. “Dhoop Paani Bahne De” was the first song released after his death.
14. KK performed hit songs in a variety of languages, including Tamil. According to Outlook, his songs defined Tamil film music in the 2000s and have become part of Tamil culture.
15. In 2004, KK’s Tamil song “Appadi Podu” gained popularity throughout India and was performed at clubs and weddings. He collaborated with A. R. Rahman on the hit song “Strawberry Kanne” in 1997.
16. He enjoyed a decade of successful singles in the 2000s. KK sang “Love Pannu” for Harris Jayaraj in 2001, followed by “Kadhal Oru Thani Katchi” and “Gundu Gundu Ponne”.
17. Harris Jayaraj composed two popular songs for him in 2003: “Uyirin Uyire” and “Kalyanam Dhaan Kattitkittu”. “Uyirin Uyire” was popular in cities, but “Kalyanam Dhaan Kattitkittu” gained popularity throughout Tamil Nadu.
18. Sony Music began in India in 1999 and was looking to promote a new artist. KK was chosen and released his debut solo album, Pal, composed by Lesle Lewis of the duo Colonial Cousins (who also arranged and produced the album). Pal was a pop-rock album. The songs “Aap Ki Dua”, “Yaaron”, and the title track, “Pal”, were successful with audiences and on the music charts; “Pal” and “Yaaron” are commonly performed at school farewells. KK won the 1999 Screen Award for Best Singer – Male (non-film music) for the album.
19. On January 22, 2008, his next album, Humsafar, was released. On January 22, 2008, his next album, Humsafar, was released. Eight songs on the album were composed by KK, and the lyrics of title track’s are a mix of English and Hindi.
20. He performed songs for several television serials, including Just Mohabbat, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Kuch Jhuki Si Palkein, Hip Hip Hurray, Kkavyanjali, and Just Dance. KK served on the jury for Fame Gurukul, a talent hunt show.
21. He performed “Tanha Chala” in the Pakistani TV show The Ghost, which aired on Hum TV in 2008. Momina Duraid wrote the lyrics and Farrukh Abid and Shoaib Farrukh composed the song.
22. On the MTV India musical programme Coke Studio, KK sang the qawwali “Chadta Suraj” with the Sabri Brothers and a reprise of “Tu Aashiqui Hai” from Jhankaar Beats. He made an appearance on Surili Baat, on the Aaj Tak channel.
23. On 11 January 2014, KK performed on Sony Mix and MTV Unplugged, which aired on MTV. In April 2014, he presented his Salaam Dubai 2014 concert in Dubai, followed by performances in Goa, Dubai, Chennai, and Hong Kong.
24. On August 29, 2015, KK debuted as a judge and guest jury member on season two of the television singing reality show Indian Idol Junior. On September 13 of the same year, he featured on the Sony Mix show Baaton Baaton Mein.
25. In a 2019 Hindustan Times interview, KK stated that he was engaged in the music industry through live performances and playback singing. He enjoyed live performances; he did not want to abandon his “commitment to the audience” and wished to release a new album following the success of his second album in 2008.
26. KK died on May 31, 2022, at the age of 53, in Kolkata from a heart attack.
27. KK is recognized by the media as one of the most popular and versatile singers in Indian cinema. S. R. Praveen described him as a “rare Malayali singer” who made it big in Bollywood. India TV ranked him among the “Top 10 Bollywood Singers” of all time.
28. KK was ranked 30th on Google’s “Top 100 Most Searched Asians” list for 2022. The BBC’s “Top 40 Bollywood Soundtracks of All Time” list included nine of KK’s songs.
29. At Gurudas Mahavidyalaya in Kolkata, where he performed his final concert, a statue of KK was placed in 2023.
30. On October 25, 2024, Google honored him with a Google Doodle to celebrate his debut as a playback singer in 1996 with the song Chhod Aaye Hum, which appeared in the film Maachis.