Filmfare Awards are one of the most respected honours in the Hindi film industry. From starting with just five awards in its first ceremony in 1954, the 68th edition of the ceremony saw awards being given in 29 different categories. The category for Best Playback Singer was established in 1959, and until 1967 both male and female singers used to compete for a single award.
Since then, multiple famous singers have won this award including Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey, Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Lucky Ali, Mohit Chauhan, and Arijit Singh to name a few. In fact, Ayushmann Khurrana also lifted the Filmfare Black Statuuette for the Best Male Playback Singer for beautifully singing the song Paani Da Rang in his debut film Vicky Donor.
However, one legendary singer holds the unwanted record of most nominations without ever winning a single Filmfare Award in this category. He is none other than KK, who passed away on 31 May last year.
KK received his first nomination in 2000 for the song Tadap Tadap in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, but the award was won by Unit Narayan for singing Chaand Chhupa in the same film. Three years later in 2003, KK was nominated for Bardaasht Nahin Kar Sakta for Humraaz film, but Sonu Nigam won the award that year for Saathiya title track.
In 2006, KK and Shaan were nominated together for the track Dus Bahaane for the film Dus, but that year the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer went to Himesh Reshammiya for the Aashiq Banaya Aapne title track. KK was nominated again in 2008 for the song Ajab Si for Om Shanti Om, but Shaan lifted the trophy that year for Jab Se Tere Naina for Saawariya.
Finally, in 2009, KK received his fifth and six nominations for the Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer in the same year for Bachna Ae Haseeno's Khuda Jaane and Jannat's Zara Sa, but he lost the award to Sukhinder Singh for Haule Haule in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. KK has received only one Best Male Playback Singer award in his life for Khuda Jaane at the Screen Awards in 2009.
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