SHABBIR Kumar, a regular guy from Baroda in Gujarat - who was once sketching and designing for a newspaper - is a Bollywood singer whose presence makes the most of an attempt to satiate the void left in the Indian film music industry after the death of legendary singer Muhammad Rafi. “I value and love Rafi amid some (important) people in my life, like my parents and wife. Rafi was my idol in the field of music and his death was a trauma for me,” Kumar told Saudi Gazette. He is performing tonight at the International Indian School Boys Section's auditorium at Jeddah in celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of India's Republic day. The event is organized by the Indian Cultural Society to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by freedom fighters. “I rushed to Mumbai to attend Rafi's funeral in 1980,” continued Kumar in a low voice, “I have rarely seen such a gloomy crowd (comprised of people) of every faith and cast. Somebody pushed me, which resulted in my wrist watch getting unbolted. Hence, my pen and watch fell into the open grave”. Kumar interpreted this incident as a divine message that he was to be Rafi's successor. “The falling of a wrist watch meant to me that my good time had started, while the pen described my good fortune - as a singer - which has been divinely written,” he explained. Kumar developed an interest in music from an early age even though nobody in his family had ever sung before him. “I listened to and learned music and started my career with the stage show ‘Ek Shaam Rafi Ke Naam' to pay tribute to Mohammed Rafi. However, my mother - who recites the Hamd and Na'at - is my inspiration ,” he noted. Speaking about how he became an established Indian playback singer who conquered Bollywood during the 1980s, he said “I was lucky enough to get a break with Usha Khanna in (the film) ‘Tajurba' in 1981 without any struggle. However, the major break came when the late Manmohan Desai was looking for Rafi's substitute and recommended me to duo Laxmikant Pyarelal (L-P). I recorded all seven songs for ‘Coolie' within fifteen days, six songs for Amitabh Bachchan, and one for Rishi Kapoor.” However, his first released film with music director duo ‘L-P' was ‘Main Intequam Loonga' and was first noted for a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, ‘Shaam Hai Ye Kuch Khoyi Khoyi' from the film ‘Prem Tapasya' in 1983. Music director Anu Malik got him to sing for Rajeev Kapoor in his debut film ‘Ek Jaan Hain Hum' in 1983. He was undeniably acknowledged as a leading playback singer with the film ‘Betaab' when music director Rahul Dev Burman got him to sing all five songs on Sunny Deol. He has done playback singing for approximately 3000 songs; for leading actors such as Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachhan, Dharmendra, Jackie Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Raj Babbar, Govinda, Chunky Pandey, Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav, Kamal Hassan, Rajnikant, Anil kapoor, Rajeev kapoor and Sunil Shetty. Moreover, he has sung for most leading music directors including Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rahul Dev Burman, Kalyanji-Anandji, Rajesh Roshan, Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik, Ravindra Jain, Raamlaxman, Nadeem-Shravan, Uttam Singh and also for Ismail Darbar and A.R. Rahman. “I sang more than 100 songs with Asha Bhonslay and 48 songs with Lata Mangeshkar,” he said while talking about his favorite female playback singers. “Singers should be versatile,” he added, referring to the parody he sung for Anil Kapoor - ‘Naa Maangee Sona Chandi' - in ‘Mr. India'. Three of his albums are releasing soon with modified songs. “They are not ‘Remixs',” he pointed out, calling the ‘Remix' genre the death of music. “Indeed, my songs are tailored again in my own voice within a new composition.” “I have not stopped (working) but may have become choosy,” he pointed out, “I am singing for five upcoming films and recently sang the famous ‘ya habibi' song with Adnan Sami and worked lately with Anu Malik, Isamael Darbar and for the R.K banner, along with doing many stage shows around the world. I do not want to sing rubbish and vulgar (songs),” he said frankly. “Mehtab is my real support,” he stated about his spouse who was formerly known as ‘Mangla' before converting to Islam. “She belongs to India's richest family and when she proposed to me, I told her honestly that I couldn't give her anything except my heart. She shouldered my responsibilities towards my family members to give me the ground to focus on my career.” True to the saying ‘made for each other', although Shabbir's wife is six years younger than him, her birthday is on the 26th of October - just like his. “We are required to celebrate our birthday on the same day, like our wedding anniversary,” he laughed. “I am the father of a son and two daughters. My 28 year-old son has the potential to be a good composer, but he has witnessed how strugglers are (always) on pins and needles, so is aware of the need for an alternative profession.” “I wish for the continuing care and love of my fans,” he said, dedicating the following song to his fans ‘Tum say mil kar na jaanay kyun aur bhi kuch yaad aata hay; aaj ka apna pyar nahi hay, janmon ka yeh naata hay.' “This is the dilemma: the fame of new generation singers is short lived. Once they give a hit (song), they anticipate working for many upcoming years but unfortunately, people forget them easily as other voices immediately appear, replacing and narrowing the ‘market' of previous singers,” said Kumar. He comments that although no star material can be found in most of the upcoming singing talent, it is easy to become famous due to many opportunities like reality shows. However, he thinks that artists cannot now achieve eternal admiration in a crowd ‘just like that'. When asked about the validity and authenticity of reality shows, he replied with broad smile and said “No comments.” – SG Notable songs sung by Shabbir Kumar: ‘Jab Hum Jawan Honge' from “Betaab” (1983) - composed by Rahul Dev Burman and sung with Lata Mangeshkar) ‘Tumse Milkar Naa Jaane Kyon' from “Pyaar Jhukata Naheen” (1985) - composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal ‘Jeet Jayenge Hum' from “Meri Jung” (1985) - composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal ‘Naa Maange Sona Chandi (parody)' from “Mr. India” (1987) - composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal ‘Gori Hai Kalaiyan' from “Aaj Ka Arjun” (1990) ‘Sochna Kya' from “Ghayal” (1990) sung with Kumar Sanu and Asha Bhosle ‘Zeehal-e-Musqeen' from “Ghulami” sung with Lata Mangeshkar ‘Pyar kiya nahi jaata' from “Woh Saat Din” sung with Lata Mangeshkar ‘Saari duniya ka bojh' from “Coolie” __
