Kishore Kumar would have been 78 Saturday, but chances are that the irrepressible, versatile playback singer-actor would still have been yodelling away like he did so many decades ago in the title track of “Jhumroo” had he been alive.

His was the voice that gave us unforgettable moments in the joyous “Paanch Rupaiya Baara Aana”, the soulful “Zindagi Ka Safar”, the romantic “Pal, Pal Dil Ke Pas” and the foot tapping “Eena Meena Deeka” that has people doing the twist even 50 years later.

They say there can never be another Kishore Kumar, and they are probably right. Where else would you get not just the voice but also the actor who made you laugh and cry with his tomfoolery and intensity. Just take the hilarious theatre guru in “Padosan” and the sombre “Door Gagan ki Chaon Mein” as cases in point.

The singer-actor died of a heart attack on Oct 13, 1987, leaving behind legions of followers – and imitators.

Music composer Bappi Lahiri gets emotional when talking about the legend, often known to be mercurial particularly in his later years.

“He is an irreplaceable and immortal singer-composer-actor-comedian-performer. There won’t be any Kishore Kumar ever again. He cannot be compared to anyone. Just like legendary singers like Elvis Presley, Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, he has no comparisons,” Lahiri told in an inerview.

Many budding composers wish they had a chance to work with him.

Said Neel Dutt, music director of “The Bong Connection”: “I regret I will never get a chance to compose a song for him. Though he is not with us today, Kishore Kumar lives in every singer. He has been an inspiration for anyone and everyone related to music.”