Gulshan Kumar
Gulshan Kumar Dua | |
---|---|
Born | Gulshan Kumar Dua 5 May 1956 |
Died | 12 August 1997 | (aged 41)
Cause of death | Assassination |
Nationality | Indian |
Education | Deshbandhu College, Delhi University |
Occupation(s) | Businessman, Film producer |
Years active | 1972 – 1997 (death) |
Spouse | Sudesh Kumari Dua (1975-1997; his death) |
Children | Bhushan Kumar Dua (Son) Tulsi Kumari Ralhan (Daughter) Khushali Kumari Dua (Daughter) |
Relatives | Krishan Kumar Dua (Younger Brother) |
Gulshan Kumar Dua (5 May 1956 – 12 August 1997),[1] known professionally as Gulshan Kumar, was the founder of the T-Series music label (Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.),[2] and a Bollywood movie producer. He founded T-Series in the 1980s and established it as a leading record label in the 1990s.
In 1997, he was murdered by the Mumbai underworld syndicate D-Company. After his death, T-Series has since been run by his younger brother Krishan Kumar (actor) and son Bhushan Kumar.[3] His daughter Tulsi Kumar and Khushali Kumar are also famous playback singers.[4]
Biography
Gulshan Kumar Dua was born into a Punjabi Hindu family. He was the son of Chandrabhan Kumar Dua, a fruit juice vendor in Darya Ganj market in Delhi, where he started working early on. While alive, Dua was a devoted worshiper of Shri Shiv Ji and Devi Parvati, as he was a follower of the Shaiva tradition.
Dua changed career paths when his family acquired a shop selling records and cheap audio cassettes, This was the beginning of a vast music empire.[5]
Music business and film career
Gulshan Kumar started his own audio cassette operation known as "Super Cassettes Industries," which turned in to a profitable business. He began a music production company in Noida. As his business started growing, he moved to Mumbai.[6][7]
His first movie in Bollywood was Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka in 1989. Next was the big hit Aashiqui in 1990 which is remembered for its music by Nadeem–Shravan. His other movies included Bahaar Aane Tak, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Ayee Milan Ki Raat, Meera Ka Mohan, and Jeena Marna Tere Sang.[7]
T-Series music label
During the life of Gulshan Kumar, T-Series emerged as one of the top music labels in India. It continues to be a major label.[8]
Today T-Series controls more than 60% share of the Indian music market. In international market, T-Series enjoys a turnover in excess of $4.2 million, and exports to 24 countries across six continents. In India, it has the largest distribution network of over 2500 dealers.
Film Acted
Year | Film | Credited as | |
---|---|---|---|
Director | Producer | ||
1989 | Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka | No | Yes |
1990 | Appu Raja | No | Yes |
1990 | Aashiqui | No | Yes |
1990 | Bahaar Aane Tak | No | Yes |
1991 | Ayee Milan Ki Raat | No | Yes |
1991 | Jeena Teri Gali Mein | No | Yes |
1991 | Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin | No | Yes |
1992 | Meera Ka Mohan | No | Yes |
1992 | Jeena Marna Tere Sang | No | Yes |
1992 | Sangeet | No | Yes |
1993 | Shabnam | No | Yes |
1993 | Aaja Meri Jaan | No | Yes |
1993 | Kasam Teri Kasam | No | Yes |
1995 | Bewafa Sanam | Yes | Yes |
1995 | Suryaputra Shanidev | No | Yes |
1995 | Satyanarayan Ki Virat Katha | No | Yes |
1997 | Char Dham | No | Yes |
Death
Gulshan Kumar Dua was shot dead outside the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir, a Hindu mandir dedicated to Lord Shiva of which he attended daily in Jeet Nagar, Andheri West suburb of Mumbai,[9] on 12 August 1997. Mumbai underworld organization D-Company was involved with the murder.[10] The police also accused film composer Nadeem Saifee of the music duo Nadeem-Shravan of having paid for the murder due to a personal dispute and fled the country after the murder. However, on 9 January 2001, Abdul Rauf Merchant (known as "Raja") confessed to being the murderer. On 29 April 2002, Sessions Judge M L Tahilyani sentenced Rauf to life imprisonment, stating that he was not imposing death penalty because the prosecution had failed to prove that Rauf was a contract killer. The police allege that Saifee paid Abu Salem, a known associate of Dawood Ibrahim, to assassinate Dua and assigned Rauf to the job, but it just so happened that Ibrahim and Abu Salem were already planning on murdering Dua as he had refused to pay protection money to D-Company as part of an extortion attempt. As per his family's wishes, Gulshan Kumar Dua was cremated in a Shamshan in Delhi.[11]
After the police's allegations against him, Nadeem Saifi had fled to the United Kingdom. In 2001, the case was taken to the London High Court, which rejected the Indian government's request for extradition on the ground that there was no prima facie case against Saifi. In August 2001, the prosecution's main witness, Mohammed Ali Hussain Shaikh, who had earlier claimed Saifi participated in the murder, eventually revealed that he didn't know Saifi and had never seen him.[12] Abu Salem also denied Nadeem's involvement on Indian national television. Saifi was also exonerated by four courts, including the House of Lords in the United Kingdom and the sessions court in Mumbai. Saifi eventually acquired British citizenship, and later moved to Dubai, where he runs a successful perfumery business.[13][14]
Legacy
In 2017, T-Series announced plans to produce a biopic about Kumar titled Mogul - The Gulshan Kumar Story.[15]
See also
References
- ^ [1]Gulshan Kumar British Film Institute.
- ^ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FE29Df05.html Indian film financing comes of age, 29 May 2004
- ^ About Us T Series Official website.
- ^ The daughter of the legendary Gulshan Kumar of T Series Tulsi Kumar comes out with her maiden solo album
- ^ Gulshan! Rediff.com, 12 July 1997
- ^ "बॉलीवुड का सबसे विख्यात और 'कुख्यात' म्यूजिक मैन, जिसे मार डाला गया [Bollywood's most famous and "infamous" music man, who was murdered]". The Lallantop (India Today Group). 30 December 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
- ^ a b "Gulshan Kumar Biography - Gulshan Kumar Profile, Childhood, Life, Timeline". www.iloveindia.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/39709.html
- ^ Gulshan Kumar shot dead, scare in filmdom Archived 5 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine The Indian Express, 13 August 2001.
- ^ "The Mafia Calls The Shots". Outlook. 25 August 1997.
- ^ Stunned silence at Super Cassettes' Delhi factory The Indian Express, 13 August 2001.
- ^ "Gulshan murder: Approver denies knowing anything about the case". 8 August 2001.
- ^ Farooqui, Mazhar (11 May 2016). "Exclusive: 'I request Narendra Modi to help me get justice'". Gulf News.
- ^ Bollywood exile Nadeem Saifi seeks government apology, BBC, 19 February 2014
- ^ "Mogul first look: Akshay Kumar to play Gulshan Kumar. Who was Gulshan Kumar?". Indian Express. 15 March 2017.
External links
- 1951 births
- 1997 deaths
- Murder in 1997
- Film producers from Mumbai
- Businesspeople from Delhi
- Deaths by firearm in India
- Murdered businesspeople
- People murdered by organized crime
- Indian murder victims
- People murdered in Mumbai
- Music industry executives
- Hindi film producers
- 20th-century Indian businesspeople
- Punjabi people