कांतिलाल

Kantilal (born Kantilal Chhaganlal Pachchigar) was a singer and actor in Hindi cinema during the 1930s and early 1940s. Born on 18 April 1907 in Surat, Gujarat, into a family of goldsmiths, he showed an early inclination toward music, received training in classical singing from Pandit Onkarnath Thakur during his school years, and was active in theatre before moving to Bombay to pursue a career in cinema.

He made his film debut in 1934 with Bulbul-e-Paristan (Vishnu Cinetone), directed by Dhirubhai Desai, acting in and singing two songs composed by Kikubhai Yagnik. His most active period came between 1937 and 1941, when he was associated with Ranjit Movietone, appearing in sixteen films — including Toofani Toli, Kangan and Diwali — under directors such as Jayant Desai and Chaturbhuj Doshi, and singing under music directors Khemchand Prakash and Gyan Dutt. His vocal style was noted for the influence of singer K.C. Dey. Across his career he recorded around sixty songs in twenty-four films.

After the early 1940s his film career declined; he married Ushaben in 1943 and increasingly turned to theatre and Gujarati-language films. Kantilal died on 17 June 1971 after a prolonged illness.