Kishore Kumar produced and directed some movies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, such as Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi (1978), Zindagi(1981) and Door Wadiyon Mein Kahin (1980). But none of these films did well at the box office. His last appearance as an actor was in Door Wadiyon Mein Kahin.
With patronage from R. D. Burman and Rajesh Roshan, Kishore Kumar's son Amit Kumar also became a Bollywood singer in the 1980s. Kishore Kumar also continued singing for several actors. He also did some stage shows, apparently to earn money to pay his income tax arrears.
Kishore Kumar stopped singing for Amitabh Bachchan in the mid-1980s, after Bachchan did not do a guest appearance in a film produced by him but called a truce with him by singing for him in Toofan. He also temporarily stopped singing for Mithun Chakraborty, after Yogeeta Bali divorced him and married Chakraborty. However, just like with Bachchan earlier, the two later put aside their differences as Kumar sang for him in many films like Disco Dancer, Muddat, and Pyar Ka Mandir.
In the mid-1980s, Kishore Kumar sang for Anil Kapoor in Kapoor's debut film as a leading man, Woh Saat Din and also recorded for his first superhit Mr. India. He sang a duet with Alka Yagnik, Tumse Badhkar Duniya Mein Na Dekha for Kaamchor in (1986). He also recorded some songs for the film Saagar with R. D. Burman. By this time, he had decided to retire and was planning to go back to his birthplace, Khandwa
However, on 13 October 1987, he died of a heart attack in Mumbai at 4:45 pm. His body was taken to Khandwa for cremation. He had recorded his last song a day before he died. The song was "Guru Guru", a duet with Asha Bhosle, for the film Waqt Ki Aawaz (1988) composed by Bappi Lahiri for Mithun Chakraborty and Sridevi.
Kishore Kumar's song "Pal Bhar Ke Liye" from the film Johny Mera Naam (1970) was used in an episode of The Simpsons titled "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore". His songs have also been featured in several films, including Such a Long Journey (1998) and Side Streets (1998). Sony TV organised the television singing contest K for Kishore to search for a singer like Kishore Kumar.
