ndian singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, better known as KK, died aged 53 in Kolkata on Tuesday (May 31, 2022). KK - who first found success in the Indian pop music scene in 1999 with his debut album Pal, featuring smash hits like ‘Pal’ and ‘Yaaron’ - was performing at a concert when he felt stress and was brought to CMRI hospital and was soon declared dead.

KK had performed back-to-back concerts but during this particular show, held at Nazrul Mancha Auditorium, he performed till 8:30 before feeling sick and going back to his hotel room. As his condition deteriorated, he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

As condolences pour in from Bollywood, the music community and even politicians, a police probe into his sudden death is also underway to determine whether he died of natural causes such as a “heart attack” or something more sinister.

According to one news report, a police official noted, “We are also talking to the hotel authorities and scrutinizing CCTV footage to understand what had happened before he was taken to the hospital.”

An autopsy was performed before funeral rites to deduce how the singer died.

KK was a terrific singer who sang from his heart. After his debut album, it didn’t take long before Bollywood snapped him up to sing for Hindi films. He could sing in several regional languages.

Prime Minister Narendra paid tribute to the singer via Twitter upon learning of his sudden death as did many stars including Priyanka Chopra, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor-Khan, Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Ismail Darbar and many others.

KK found fame in Hindi cinema in the naughties with songs such as ‘Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se’ from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, ‘Dola Re Dola’ from Devdas (2002), ‘Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai’ from Woh Lamhe (2006), ‘Aankhon Mein Teri’ from Om Shanti Om (2007), ‘Khuda Jane’ from Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), and many, many more. He is survived by a wife, a son and a daughter.