Gulshan Kumar (गुलशन कुमार) (5 May 1956 - 12 August 1997)[1] was the founder of the T-Series music label (Super Cassettes Industries Ltd.) [2], the best known in India, and a Indian Bollywood movie producer. T series of now run by his son Bhushan Kumar [3]. His daughter Tulsi Kumar is a playback singer [4].

Born     Gulshan Dua
May 5, 1956(1956-05-05)
Delhi, India
Died     August 12, 1997 (aged 41)
Mumbai, Maharastra, India
Occupation     businessman, film producer
Years active     1972 - 1997 (His Death)

Born Gulshan Dua into a Punjabi Arora family from Sindh, he was the son of Chandrabhan, a fruit juice seller in Darya Ganj market in Delhi, where he started working early on. Later Gulshan changed career paths when his family acquired a shop selling records and cheap audio cassettes, this was the beginning of what was to become a vast music empire [5].

He founded Super Cassettes Industries[6], a small audio cassette operation which soon grew to be very big. Later he started a music production company in Noida, near Delhi. He is said to have started the practice of exploiting a loophole in the Indian copyright law, and creating cover versions of popular songs.

To counter exorbitantly priced poor-quality audio tapes which used to be marketed by reputed music companies of foreign origin, Gulshan brought out in the late 1970s very reasonably priced music cassettes with adequate quality. He exported quality music cassettes when his business grew.

Gulshan also introduced religious music cassettes at highly subsidized prices.

The Indian music industry used to be controlled by a few high-profiled singers. Gulshan introduced young talented singers to the music world, Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Paudwal, and Kumar Sanu being the prominent ones among them. He also introduced some new actors and music directors.

Gulshan established a bhandara, serving free home style food to pilgrims who hiked to the Hindu shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi.
[edit] Killing

On 12 August 1997, he was killed outside the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir, a Hindu temple in Jeet Nagar, Andheri West suburb of Mumbai [7]. The police accused Nadeem of the music duo Nadeem-Shravan of having paid for the assassination. However, on 9 January 2001, Abdul Rauf (known as "Raja") confessed to being the assassin. 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. As per his families wishes, Gulshan Kumar was cremated in Delhi [8]

Prior to his assassination Gulshan Kumar had refused to succumb to the extortion demands of the Mumbai Underworld, which was a fixture in the financing of Bollywood movies, and shortly before his assassination producer, Mukesh Duggal was also murdered by armed assassins [7]. Mainly it was religion which had been the bone of contention as well as the political backing he enjoyed.

All the people who were party to his assassination were given political asylum by Britain.
[edit] Chronology of events

    * 21 September 1999 : hearing an extradition case filed by the government of India against Nadeem, bow street magistrate in London rules that there is prima facie case against Nadeem and recommends his extradition
    * 21 December 2000 : The London high court rejects the government of India's plea to extradite Nadeem. he is discharged from the case. the court also passes strictures against the police, saying the evidence is tainted. Shafi Ahmed is the first accused to be discharged in the case. Prosecution concedes there is no evidence against him.
    * 30 April 2001 : charges are framed against 17 accused. one of the accused Pratap Singh Shaukin is discharged due to lack of evidence. Shaukin was accused of helping the killers escape. He allegedly took them from Mumbra in nearby Thane to Nasik in his tempo.
    * 18 June 2001 : Trial begins. Ramchandra Lavangare, an eyewitness, identifies the alleged assassins — Abdul Rashid Daud and Abdul Rauf Daud MERCHANT — in the court.
    * 20 June 2001 : Another eye witness Sahibrao Fuke identifies the alleged killers in the court of Justice M.L. Tahilyani.
    * 27 June 2001 : Keki Balsara, key to the prosecution's case against Nadeem, is found dead in the washroom of the city police headquarters.
    * 8 January 2002 : Approver Mohammed Ali Shaikh refuses to identify the alleged killers in court. he says he did not know Nadeem. He is declared hostile, and pardon granted to him is withdrawn.
    * 10 January 2002 : ten of the accused are granted bail after prosecution says it would not produce any new evidence against them.
    * 16 April 2002 : prosecution accepts there is no evidence against 15 of the 19 people accused in the case.
    * 23 April 2002 : the sessions court rejects the conspiracy charge leveled by the prosecution against the accused.
    * 24 April 2002 : 18 of the 19 accused are acquitted. one is found guilty. www.indiangulshan.kumar.in.com

[edit] T-Series Music label
Main article: T-Series

During the life of Gulshan Kumar, T-Series emerged as one of the top music label in India. It continues to be a major label[9].

It is the largest producer and publisher of music and videos in India. It has published original soundtrack from the movies, remixes, old devotional bhajans, new-age, melodies from the 60's, pop hits of 90's etc.

Today T-Series controls more than 60% share of the Indian music market. In the international markets 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.
[edit] Movie Production

    * Papa - The Great (2000)
    * Char Dham (1998)
    * Jai Maa Vaishanav Devi (1995)
    * Bewafa Sanam (1995)
    * Kasam Teri Kasam (1993)
    * Aaja Meri Jaan (1993)
    * Jeena Marna Tere Sang (1992)
    * Meera Ka Mohan (1992)
    * Shiv Mahima (1992)
    * Sangeet (1992)
    * Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991)
    * Aye Milan Ki Raat (1991)
    * Jeena Teri Gali Mein (1991)
    * Aashiqui (1990)
    * Bahar Aane Tak (1990)
    * Velu Nayakan (1990)
    * Appu Raja (1990)
    * Laal Dupatta Malmal ka (1989)

[edit] See also

    * Bollywood

Gulshan kumar