Kidar Sharma was born in village Narowal, Punjab . He had always been attracted to the world of entertainment, giving his first performance as a harmonium player in 1915. While graduating he wrote and performed in Punjabi stage plays and completed his maters in English.

The name of Kidar Sharma will figure quite high on the list of the men and women who contributed to Indian cinema.His orthodox father was against his wish of joining films. When young Kidar did his MA, his father had visions of his son becoming a professor in a college and ultimately its principal. So the family’s disappointment knew no bounds when he firmly declared that his destination was a film studio and not a college campus.

He borrowed Rs 25 from his wife for his journey from Amritsar to Calcutta (now Kolkata), hoping to meet his favourite director, Debaki Bose, and find work with him.In his period of struggle he received tremendous support from Prithviraj Kapoor and Kundan Lal Saigal who were then working for New Theatres. Kidar was highly determined to make a mark in films. But it was his hobby, painting, which gave him entry into the film world. His first job in a film studio was that of a backdrop screen painter and a poster painter.

Most of his films had lyrics penned by him and they included Dil Hi To Hai (1939), Chitralekha (the 1941 film and its 1964 remake), Neel Kamal (1946 - the launch of Raj Kapoor, Madhubala and Begum Para), Bawre Nain (1949), Shokhiyaan (1951), Hamari Yaad Aayegi (1963) and films like Hamari Beti, Rangeen Raatein, Neki Aur Badi and his last film - as late as 1991 - Sehme Huye Sitaren. His immortal songs include ‘Khayalon Mein Kisike (Bawre Nain), ‘Kabhi Tanhaiyon Mein Bhi’ (Hamari Yaad Aayegi’s title song) and many others. ‘Baalaman Baso More Man Mein’ and ‘Mat Bhool Musafir’ were among the hit songs that he penned for this massive K. L. Saigal hit, which got him going.

Kidar Sharma's was an all round genius and dealt with scripting, dialogue, directing, lyrics writing. The films that bear his stamp in one way or the other are Devdas (with K.L. Saigal) Vidyapati, Chitralekha (two versions), Neel Kamal, Suhag Rat, Jogan, Baware Nain, Hamari Yad Aayegi and several others.He even made short films for Doordarshan including Aise Log Bhi Hote Hain, Kagaz Ki Nao, Ham Honge Kamyab, etc.

His gifts to the Hindi cinema include Raj Kapoor, Madhubala, Geeta Bali, Mala Sinha, Bharat Bhushan and Tanuja. The films that bear his stamp in one way or the other are Devdas (with K.L. Saigal) Vidyapati, Chitralekha (two versions), Neel Kamal, Suhag Rat, Jogan, Baware Nain, Hamari Yad Aayegi and several others. Besides, music directors Roshan and Bullo C. Rani owe much to the encouragement they received from Kidar Sharma.Kidar also introduced talents like composer Roshan (introduced in Neki Aur Badi/1949), followed by his breakthrough film Bawre Nain a year later, composer singer Snehal Bhatkar and singer Mubarak Begum.

This unconventional and to a great extent iconoclastic film personality died on April 29, 1999, almost unsung by the industry to which he had given so much.