MUMBAI: Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj on Wednesday mourned the death of "younger brother" KK and remembered how he and the singer began their journey together with Gulzar's "Maachis".
Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, passed away on Tuesday night at the age of 53, hours after his performance at the Nazrul Mancha auditorium in Kolkata.
Doctors at the hospital said they suspected "cardiac arrest" to be the cause of the death.
KK memorably sang 'Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan', composed by Bhardwaj for the 1996 movie with co-singers Hariharan, Suresh Wadkar and Vinod Sehgal.
"Mera chhota Bhaiyaa. Hum saath aaye thay dilli se. Humara pehla break pehli film pehli kaamyaabi ek saath- MAACHIS ('Chhodh aaye hum wo galiyan'. He also sang the 2nd music in Lata ji's 'pani pani re') Anginat lamhe.. anginat yaadein.. Bepanah dard.. Bichhdey sabhee baari baari," the composer shared on Twitter.
"(My younger brother. We both came together from Delhi. Our first break, first film, first success --everything happened together (with) 'Maachis' 'Chhodh aaye hum wo galiyan'. He also sang the 2nd music in Lata ji's 'pani pani re'. (Countess moments, countless memories, endless pain. Everyone leaving turn by turn.)"
Starring Tabu and Chandrachur Singh, "Maachis" explored the insurgency in Punjab.
The song 'Chhodh aaye hum wo galiyan' features Singh and his friends as they recount the times spent back home.
Both KK and Bhardwaj later teamed up for the latter's 2011 directorial film "7 Khoon Maaf" for the song 'O' Mama'. The song was composed by Bhardwaj and lyrics were penned by Gulzar.