Kishore Kumar banned from All India Radio during Emergency

Legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar was banned from All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan for approximately one year during the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government between 1975 and 1977.

Kishore Kumar’s son, Amit Kumar, recently shared the details of the incident during an appearance on Kapil Sharma’s show. According to Amit, the ban was triggered by a phone call from a Ministry official in Delhi who instructed the singer to fly to the capital for a scheduled show. Kishore Kumar refused to comply unless a representative was sent to speak with him in person, reportedly stating, “If God also comes and tells me, I will not be able to come.”

The refusal reportedly angered the official, resulting in a ban on the singer's music being broadcast on state-run media within two hours of the call. Despite the restriction, his popularity remained unaffected, and his songs returned to the airwaves once the Emergency was lifted.