At his pre-birthday celebration with the media on March 13, Aamir Khan surprised everyone by crooning the gem, Kabhi Kabhi, before revealing that he has been training in classical singing. The superstar was evasive when asked whether he was training in the art form for the Kishore Kumar biopic. Recently, as mid-day got in touch with Khan’s music teacher Sucheta Bhattacharjee, she was just as tight-lipped about whether this was all part of the actor’s prep to play the legend. But when probed about her superstar student, she revealed, “People call him a perfectionist, but what I see is sincerity and curiosity. That’s the true mark of a good student.”
Sucheta Bhattacharjee with Aamir Khan
Their association began in 2023 when Khan walked into his first music lesson, unsure of what to expect. Bhattacharjee began the session by simply singing, letting the swaras fill the room. By the time she finished, the superstar had tears in his eyes. “I told him, ‘Don’t hold them back, let them flow. Music is meant to move you this way’,” she recounted.
Kishore Kumar
The guru-shishya bond has only deepened with their classes. As an actor and filmmaker, Khan is known for his obsession with detail. Bhattacharjee shared that as a student too, he is patient, passionate, and striving to excel. “He surrenders completely to the process. When he sings, the world outside ceases to exist; it becomes a meditative journey. He has a rare range — three octaves, with depth in the lower notes and clarity in the higher ones. His voice has a natural roundness, which is precious in Indian music.”
Bhattacharjee’s journey with music began under the tutelage of late Pandit Mani Prasad of the Kirana Gharana. Today her reach has stretched beyond traditional spaces — currently, she trains tribal children in Maharashtra in singing. She has also mentored contestants on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Voice of India, and Chhote Ustaad. Her advice to young aspirants is simple: “Don’t perform, play with music. That’s when the pressure lifts and the joy begins.”
Ranbir Kapoor and Anurag Basu
While Anurag Basu was initially planning to make the Kishore Kumar biopic with Ranbir Kapoor, now the filmmaker is said to be collaborating with Aamir Khan. In July, when mid-day asked him about Khan’s casting, he neither confirmed nor denied it, only saying, “Until everything is finalised and the contract is signed, I shouldn’t speak on it.”