It has been a sad week for the entertainment industry as fans bid farewell to two distinctive artists, each a legend in their own field.
Popular Punjabi singer Kuldeep Manak (62) sadly passed away on November 30 at a local hospital in Ludhiana, in India, after being diagnosed with pneumonia following kidney problems.
Meanwhile, Bollywood’s evergreen romancing superstar Dev Anand (88) took his last breath in London, with his son Sunil by his side, on December 3 after suffering a heart attack.
Born on November 15 in the village of Jalal, in the district of Bathinda, Punjab, India, Kuldeep Manak was the latest addition to a musical family. He launched his career in 1968 and was known for singing a genre of traditional Punjabi songs called Kaliyan.
His evergreen hits, including ‘GT Road The’, will be remembered for years to come along with many other tracks from his 26 albums.
Before his sad passing at the age of 62, Manak collaborated with Punjabi singer Jazzy B on the album ‘Maharajas’.
Tributes have poured in on Twitter for both legends from notable dignitaries, celebrities and fans across the globe.
Cricketer Yuvraj Singh tweeted: “And one more sad News…Kaliyan de Baadshah Kuldeep Manak ji Swargwasi ho gya! May God rest his soul in peace!”
Singer Sukshinder Shinda tweeted: “R.I.P The King of Punjabi Folk – The One We All Know As Kaliyan Da Badshah – Ustaad Kuldeep Manak Saab Ji.”
Jazzy B also tweeted: “RIP ustad kuldeep manak ji. True maharaja of folk music is gone, but will b with us long as we live by his music. Waheguru ji waheguru ji.”
The Indian film industry also mourned the loss of film actor, director and producer, Dev Anand.
Born as Dharam Dev Pishori in the Shakargarh tehsil of the Gurdaspur district in Punjab (the present-day Narowal district of Pakistan), he went on to have a career, which spanned over 65 years.
The superstar who made his movie debut in 1946 with Hum Ek Hain went onto build a place for himself in the heart of the film industry and win two Filmfare Awards for Best Actor for Kala Pani in 1958 and Guide in 1966.
He was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 for his contribution to Indian cinema.
A number of Bollywood celebrities paid tribute to the star via Twitter.
Film director Karan Johar said: “The industry just lost its sheen…the films just lost its charm…DEV ANAND epitomised all things celluloid give us…”
Actress Shabana Azmi said: “Javed was a huge Dev Anand fan and as a teenager his meagre pocket money wud be collected over months to buy 1st day 1st show tkt.”
While Shah Rukh Khan said: “Dev sahib’s sad demise makes me feel that the film industry is incomplete & has lost its magical energy. May Allah bless his soul.”
While both men may no longer be with us, they will continue to live on forever through their work which touched the hearts of millions of people form round the world.
