Kedarnath Bhattacharya (born 20 October 1957), professionally known as Kumar Sanu, is an Indian playback singer. He is known as the King of Melody in Bollywood. He is famous for singing thousands of Bollywood Hindi super hit songs. Also as one of the most successful playback singers of 90s era of Bollywood. 

Apart from Hindi, he has also sung in other languages including Bengali, Marathi, Nepali, Assamese, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Manipuri, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Punjabi, Odia, Chhattisgarhi, Urdu, Pali, English and his native language Bengali, both in West Bengal and Bangladesh. He holds the record for winning five consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer from 1991 to 1995. He holds the Guinness Book of world records since 1993 for recording the maximum number of songs in a single day.

For his contribution to Indian cinema and music, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2009 by the Government of India. Many of his tracks feature in BBC’s “Top 40 Bollywood Soundtracks of all time”.

Kumar Sanu’s father, Pashupati Bhattacharya, was a vocalist and composer, his ancestral home and birth place was Vikrampur near Dhaka (now in Bangladesh). He moved to Calcutta in search of livelihood and Kumar Sanu was born in Calcutta. The two and Sanu’s elder sister lived in the Sinthee area of Calcutta (now Kolkata) near Biswanath Park. Kumar Sanu lived at Panchanan tala at Gopal Bose Lane in Sinthi area at North Kolkata.

Sanu started his playback career as Sanu Bhattacharya from 1983. In 1986, he was in the Bangladeshi film Teen Kanya,  directed by Shibli Sadiq. He had his first major Bollywood song in Hero Hiralal (1988). In 1989, Jagjit Singh introduced Sanu to Kalyanji in Vimal Bunglow, Mumbai. On their suggestion, Sanu changed his early name from “Sanu Bhattacharya” to “Kumar Sanu” after his idol Kishore Kumar. Sanu then relocated to Mumbai, where Kalyanji-Anandji gave him a chance to sing in the film Jaadugar.

For the 1990 film Aashiqui, Sanu sang all but one of the songs. He won the first of his record five consecutive Filmfare Awards as Best Male Playback Singer. His next Filmfare Awards came for songs in the movies Saajan (1991), Deewana (1992), Baazigar (1993) and 1942: A Love Story (1994). He won 5 back to back Filmfare awards for singing, between 1990 and 1994.

Kumar Sanu got his major break when Gulshan Kumar with music directors Nadeem and Shravan gave him chance to sing most of the songs of movie Aashiqui (1990), songs were recorded earlier for an album and later movie was made around the songs. The movie as well as the songs were a grand success. Thereafter, they worked together in many films including Saajan (1991), Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), Sadak (1991), Deewana (1992), Dil Ka Kya Kasoor (1992), Jaan Tere Naam (1992), Sapne Sajan Ke (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Rang (1993), Damini (1993), Dilwale (1994), Aatish (1994), Salaami (1994), Andolan (1995), Barsaat (1995), Raja Hindustani (1996), Agnisakshi (1996), Jeet (1996), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Pardes (1997), Sirf Tum (1999), Dhadkan (2000), Kasoor (2001), Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love (2001), Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa (2002), Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya (2002), Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002), Dil Ka Rishta (2003), Qayamat (2003), Andaaz (2003), Bewafaa (2005) and Barsaat (2005) He sang most of his songs for them (293 songs).

Sanu has sung songs of various genres with Anu Malik. It was Malik who made Sanu sing his first western-style song “Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhe”, from the film Baazigar (1993). Some other achievements of the combo are Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee (1993), Sir (1993), Phool Aur Angaar (1993), Imtihaan (1994), Khuddar (1994), Vijaypath (1994), Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Naajayaz (1995), The Gambler (1995), Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995), Diljale (1996), Krishna (1996), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), Daraar (1996), Chaahat (1996), Virasat (1997), Judwaa (1997), Ishq (1997), Auzaar (1997), Duplicate (1998), Kareeb (1998), Soldier (1998), Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999), Aarzoo (1999), Jaanam Samjha Karo (1999), Biwi No.1 (1999), Ajnabee (2001), Ishq Vishq (2003), Fida (2004) and No Entry (2005). In 2015, they were again back with songs in Dum Laga Ke Haisha

JSanu started his work with Jatin–Lalit on the 1992 film Khiladi. From then on he provided his voice for hit movies including Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992), Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Khamoshi (1996), Yes Boss (1997), Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai (1998), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), Ghulam (1998), Sarfarosh (1999), Khoobsurat (1999), Dil Kya Kare (1999) and Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (1999) He has sung a total of 137 songs for them.