Shabbir Kumar
Shabbir Kumar | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Shabbir Shaikh |
| Born | 26 October 1954 Baroda, Bombay State, India |
| Occupation(s) | Playback singer |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Website | shabbirkumar.com |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
Shabbir Kumar (born 26 October 1954) is an Indian playback singer, notable for his work in Bollywood. He became famous as an imitator of Mohammed Rafi, and sang several hit songs in the 1980s.
Early life
Shabbir Kumar was born Shaikh Shabbeer Ahmed,[1] on 26 October 1954 in Baroda, Gujarat.[2] He was eldest of the ten siblings,[3] and had no formal training in music.[2] He became interested in singing as a child, and gained attention for imitating the voice of Mohammed Rafi.[4] By his early 20s, his stage shows became popular in Gujarat. He personally met Rafi in 1972 at a recording session, and drew a pencil sketch of Rafi. In 1974, he met Rafi at a stage show in Ahmedabad, where he was introduced as the "local Rafi".[3] He claims that when police attempted to disperse the crowd at Rafi's funeral in 1980, his wristwatch and pen fell into Rafi's open grave and were buried there.[5]
After Rafi's death in 1980, Shabbir Kumar sang Rafi's songs at Ek Raat Rafi Ke Naam, an event organized to honor Rafi. This made Shabbir Kumar more popular, and he started doing several stage shows.[4]
Bollywood career
Music director Usha Khanna noticed Shabbir Kumar, and called him for an audition, where she asked him to sing two of Rafi's songs - Teri Galiyon Mein and Main Yeh Soch Kar. She offered him a song in the 1981 movie Tajurba. The song featured only three lines by Shabbir Kumar; the other singers were Amit Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar, and Usha Mangeshkar. Usha Khanna promoted him in the film industry, and he got a chance to sing his first solo for the movie Sardar.[3]
Manmohan Desai, the director of the movie Coolie (1983), wanted someone with Rafi's voice to sing the songs for the movie.[6] Usha Khanna recommended Shabbir Kumar to him, and the movie's music director Laxmikant invited Shabbir Kumar to Mumbai for an audition. The Coolie songs, filmed on Amitabh Bachchan, gave Shabbir Kumar his big break.[3]
Subsequently, R.D. Burman offered him songs in the movie Betaab (1983). While recording a duet he became nervous, and his co-singer Lata Mangeshkar paused the recording to calm him down before a retake.[7] The duet - Jab Hum Jawan Honge - became a hit.[8] He went on to with other notable music directors, including Chitragupta, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik, and Jatin-Lalit. He sang in several languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri and Gujarati.[4]
Shabbikr Kumar sang around 3700 songs for about 250 movies.[9] His popular songs include Zindagi Har Kadam from Meri Jung (1985),[10] Tumse Milkar Na Jane Kyun from Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985), Zihale Maskin from Ghulami (1985)[11] and Gori Hain Kalaiyan from Aaj Ka Arjun (1990).[8]
Gradually, Shabbir Kumar's career declined as Mohammed Aziz and Anwar became more popular as imitators of Mohammad Rafi. He then focused on stage singing, performing in the US, UAE, Europe and South Africa, besides India.[4] In the 1990s, he tried to shed his image of being a Rafi clone.[3] Occasionally, he sang for Hindi films, including the 2010 movie Housefull.[12] In 2012, he became involved in a controversy with Lata Mangeshkar, when he challenged her claim that Rafi had written her a letter of apology.[4][13] In 2023, he appeared on The Kapil Sharma Show.[14]
Shabbir Kumar's music certifications include 34 Gold Discs and 16 Platinum Discs.[15]
Personal life
Shabbir Kumar is also a painter and sketcher.[16] His wife Mehtaab died on 9 May 2021, a month before their 49th wedding anniversary.[17] His son Dilshaad Shaikh is a music director;[18] he has two daughters - Tehzim [19] and Rubina Mallick.[15]
Discography
- "Apne Dilse Badi Dushmani" from Betaab (1983), composed by Rahul Dev Burman
- "Badal Yun Garajta Hai" from Betaab (1983), (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)
- "Jab Hum Jawan Honge" from Betaab (1983), (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)
- "Teri Tasveer Mil Gayee" from Betaab (1983)
- "Tumne Dee Awaaz" from Betaab (1983)
- "Kangna Oye Hoye Kangna" from Woh Saat Din (1983), composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal
- "Pyar Kiya Nahi Jaata" from Woh Saat Din (1983), (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)
- "Saari duniya ka bojh" from Coolie (1983), composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal
- "Mubarak Ho Tum Sabko Haj Ka Mahina" from Coolie (1983)
- "Mujhe Pineka Shokh Nahin" Coolie (1983) (duet with Alka Yagnik)
- "Bol Do Mitti Bol Soniye" Sohni Mahiwal (1984), composed by Anu Malik, (duet with Asha Bhosle)
- "Mujhe Dulhe Ka Sehra" Sohni Mahiwal (1984), (duet with Asha Bhosle)
- "Tumse Milkar Naa Jaane Kyon" from Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985), composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal
- "Tumhe Apna Saath Banane Se" from Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985), (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)
- "Chahe Lakh Toofan Aaye" from Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985), (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)
- "Ae Doctor Babu" from Piya Ke Gaon (1985), (duet with Alka Yagnik)
- "Zeehal-e-Musqeen" from Ghulami (1985), composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, (duet with Lata Mangeshkar)
- "Zindagi Har Kadam Ek Nayi Jung" from Meri Jung (1985), composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal
- "Buri Nazarwale Tera" from Mard (1985), composed by Anu Malik
- "O Maa Shero wali" from Mard (1985)
- "Aana Jana Laga Rahega" from Giraftaar (1985), composed by Bappi Lahiri
- "Pyar Ke Do Pal Koh" from Pyar Ke Do Pal (1986), composed by Anu Malik
- "Jaano Jaanam Jaaneman" from Sultanat (1986), composed by Kalyanji Anandji
- "Jab Jab Kisi Ladake" from Kala Dhanda Goray Log (1986), (duet with Anuradha Paudwal)
- "Gali Gali Badnaam Hogaya" from Karamdaata (1986)
- "Hairaan Hoon Main" from Jawab Hum Denge (1987), (duet with Anuradha Paudwal)
- "Mere Yaar Ko Mere Allah" from Dacait (1987), composed by Rahul Dev Burman
- "Tujhe Itna Pyaar Kare" From Kudrat Ka Kanoon (1987), with Lata Mangeshkar
- "Saajan Aajao Wada Yeh" from Aag Hi Aag (1987)
- "So Gaya Ye Jahan" From Tezaab (1988), with Nitin Mukesh
- "Maine bhi ek geet likha hai" from Hamara Khandan (1988)
- "Gori Hai Kalaiyan" from Aaj Ka Arjun (1990), composed by Bappi Lahiri
- "Sochna Kya Jabi" from Ghayal (1990) (with Kumar Sanu and Asha Bhosle)
- "O Radha Tere Bina" from Radha Ka Sangam (1992), composed by Anu Malik
- "Tu Pagal Premi Awara" from Shola aur Shabnam (1992)
- "Finak habibi finak" from Awara Paagal Deewana (2002) composed by Anu Malik
- "I Don't Know What to do" from Housefull (2010) composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy.
References
- ↑ "Shabbir Wants To Sound Like His Singing Idol". New Straits Times. 1992-10-09. p. 3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Virendra Mishra (2023-10-25). "Shabbir Kumar Interview: जब मनमोहन देसाई की जिद ने बदल दी गुमनाम गायक की तकदीर, शब्बीर यूं बने सिंगर नंबर वन". Amar Ujala (in हिन्दी).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Zieman (1992-10-03). "Shabbir Wants To Sound Like His Singing Idol". New Straits Times. p. 3.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "রফির 'নকল' করে সুপারহিট! লতার সঙ্গে বচসা... ছ'হাজার গান গাওয়া শব্বির এখন বেকার". Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). 2023-01-22.
- ↑ "महान गायक मो. रफी के कब्र में दफन है मेरी कलम और घड़ी : शब्बीर कुमार". Amar Ujala. 2024-12-01.
- ↑ Guru Swarup Mishra (2025-02-18). "मेलोडी किंग शब्बीर कुमार की आवाज में 'ऐसा अपना याराना' गीत रिकॉर्ड, क्या बोले डायरेक्टर एजाज अहमद?" (in हिन्दी). Prabhat Khabar.
- ↑ "शब्बीर कुमार ने लता मंगेशकर के साथ पहले गाने की रिकॉर्डिग को याद किया" (in हिन्दी). News Nation. 2023-01-08.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Would love to do regular shows in Vadodara: Shabbir Kumar". The Times of India. 2017-01-13.
- ↑ Vikas Srivastava (2019-10-12). "अमिताभ का बर्थडे मना बोले शब्बीर कुमार -फिर लौटेगा संगीत का स्वर्णिम युग". Dainik Jagran (in हिन्दी).
- ↑ "शब्बीर कुमार, जिनकी किस्मत मोहम्मद रफी के जनाजे में लिखी गई थी!" (in हिन्दी). News 18. 2017-08-27.
- ↑ "Bollywood singer Shabbir Kumar regaled Tricity audience with his golden hits". The Tribune. 2024-12-03.
- ↑ "Shabbir Kumar makes comeback in Housefull". Hindustan Times. 2012-05-16.
- ↑ "Singer Shabbir Kumar challenges Lata Mangeshkar to show Rafi's letter". NDTV. 2012-10-18.
- ↑ "From singing with his idol Lata Mangeshkar to getting a chance in Bollywood as his voice suited Big B: singer Shabbir Kumar shares amusing anecdotes in TKSS". The Times of India. 2023-01-08.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Shabbir Kumar, Omer Sharif join hands for show in Dubai". Khaleej Times. 2024-07-23.
- ↑ "सूरज, चांद, सितारों से की लता मंगेशकर की तुलना, शब्बीर ने गाए 48 गाने, सिंगर ने याद किया किस्सा" (in हिन्दी). Aaj Tak. 2022-02-13.
- ↑ "Indian Idol 12: Singer Shabbir Kumar appears on show a month after his wife's death, watch". The Indian Express. 2021-06-14.
- ↑ "Rahman's assistant for 13 years scores music for Indo-Iranian film". The Asian Age. 2017-03-23.
- ↑ "Prominent Indian playback singer to perform in Dubai". Gulf News. 2019-07-25.
External links
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