Sonu Nigam on his tribute concert on Mohammed Rafi's 100th birth anniversary: Rafi sahab, thank you for being by my side
Sonu Nigam performed 54 songs in 3 hours with a 50-member symphony orchestra to mark singer Mohammed Rafi's 100th birth anniversary on December 24 in Mumbai.
“Rafi sahab is my musical father and guru. My papa introduced me to Rafi sahab’s music, and I grew up learning from him. Main aaj jo bhi hoon unki wajah se hoon. I could have never imagined that I would be paying tribute to a legend who I grew up idolising on his centenary birth anniversary. I cannot thank God enough,” said an emotional Sonu Nigam, as he took the stage for Sau Saal Pehle. The three-hour tribute concert, held in Mumbai on December 24, marked the 100th birth anniversary celebration of late music legend Mohammed Rafi.
The event, organised by NR Talent and Event Management, also had the late legend’s son Shahid Rafi and daughter-in-law Firdaus Rafi in attendance. While interacting with them on stage, Sonu said, “Shahid bhai ka Rafi sahab se rakht (blood) ka rishta hai, mera unse bhakt (devotee) ka rishta hai.”
The endeavour marked Sonu’s first-ever Mohammed Rafi tribute show in India, which saw him perform 54 Mohammed Rafi classics across genres accompanied by a 50-member symphony orchestra. The audience at the fully packed Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre Grand Theatre sang along, as the singer performed Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra, Maine Poocha Chand Se, Pukarta Chala Hoon Main, Kya Hua Tera Wada, Dard-e-Dil, O Haseena Zulfonwali and Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera, among others.
The Padma Shri recipient also highlighted how the families of both his gurus – Mohammed Rafi and legendary vocalist Padma Vibhushan Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan – put together the event. Singer Rabbani Mustafa Khan, Organiser, Sau Saal Pehle, said, “Sonu ji is my brother. So, besides being a huge responsibility, this event was also an emotional journey for Namrata (Gupta Khan; wife and organiser) and me. We spent months pouring our hearts and souls into it. Seeing it take shape so beautifully, with audiences smiling and swaying along, made our hearts so full.”
Namrata Gupta Khan added, “Celebrating Rafi sahab’s 100th birth anniversary with Sonu ji’s magic was a dream and we knew it would be a one-of-a-kind endeavour because nobody could do justice to Rafi sahab’s music like Sonu ji. Hence, we made sure we left no stone unturned to make it as magical as it deserved to be. I feel grateful to Sonu ji for trusting us with this and to see him breeze through those three hours non-stop, belting out one Rafi sahab classic after another, was something we will cherish forever. We also want to thank his father, Agam (Kumar Nigam; veteran singer) ji for also taking the stage and rendering Rafi sahab’s classics so beautifully.”
To mark the special occasion, Rabbani and Namrata also presented Sonu with a beautifully crafted bust of Mohammed Rafi. The event ended with the song Sau Saal Pehle, followed by singing Happy Birthday to Rafi sahab.
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