Canada’s Mehboob Shaikh Rekindles Rafi Magic!
By Firdaus Ali
In Toronto
If you’re watching a live musical show, humming with the centerstage singer, and dancing merrily in your seat getting poignant one moment, and remembering your youthful past in the next – chances are, that you’re probably attending a Mohammed Rafi concert and the singer crooning the maestro’s songs is doing a pretty good job at it!
A live in-concert performance was organized in August 2023 by Mehboob Shaikh at Mississauga’s Burnhamthorpe Library to mark Rafi Saab’s 43rd death anniversary. The event brought fans from across the GTA to Maja Prentice Theatre to enjoy and celebrate Rafi renditions in the voice of Mehboob Shaikh, the man fondly called as the “Canadian voice of Rafi.”
Extremely modest and humane a la Rafi Saab, Shaikh feels it’s an honour for him to recreate Rafi magic in Toronto. “Rafi Saab was a one-of-a-kind singer, and no one can get anywhere close to his talent and vocal expertise. We can only try and keep his legacy alive,” says Shaikh, his voice unable to hide the admiration for his mentor.
Shaikh, born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is the son of an Urdu poet and grew up listening to the magical voice of Mohammed Rafi on radio and television. He was enamoured by the simplicity and rich tones in Rafi’s voice. “Unke geet har taraf chaa rahe the. Bhakti geet, romantic nagme, qawwali, ghazal, bhajan… Rafi saab ne har andaz mein gaya hai aur unka har geet humare dil ko choota leta hai,” reminisces Shaikh.
Shaikh fondly remembers his walid (father) telling him that Rafi’s 1966 song from the film Suraj, “Bahaaron phool barsaao, mera Mehboob aaya hai…” was a special song to welcome him into this world.
While there were many male playback singers in the 60s, Shaikh found Rafi’s voice to represent everything. “Unki awaaz ek zinda awaz hai. Aisi awaz jis mein ek hero dikhta hai, jo macho hai, jazbaati hai, ek accha insaan hai,” Just like his soul, Rafi Saab’s voice was pure and pristine.
The untimely death of the legendary in 1980 rekindled the Shaikh’s passion for music and he started singing Rafi songs to entertain local friends and family. As the love for music grew, he took vocal training from the late Krishnakant Parikh, renowned classical vocalist from his home city of Ahmedabad.
Under the stream of Mewati Gharana founded by Legendary Pandit Jasraj, Shaikh started performing Rafi Saab’s songs. He made his first debut on the stage when he was in grade 5 student at the age of 9 with the song Kar chale hum fida jano tan sathio from the film Haqeeqat. He was later credited for composing and singing his own songs and ghazals in Urdu and Gujarati for TV Ahmedabad, Doordarshan and Radio Akashwani.
Over the years, Shaikh’s confidence grew, and he has performed in several live musical shows in India, Israel, Uzbekistan, continuing his musical journey even after he immigrated to Canada in 2005.
However, Shaikh feels that Canada does not foster a culture that appreciates the arts and Canadians should do more to show respect to artistes and keep alive the legacy of global singers and musicians.
“It’s like the arts has little or no value. Canadians are used to a one-stop shop, where they want to enjoy singing, dancing, food, and drinks all in a couple of hours. The appreciation for artistic talent is sadly missing here,” laments Shaikh.
And as Rafi fans are getting older, it’s important to introduce Rafi Saab and his magical voice to the new generation. “I truly hope that the Canadian government funds a musical academy to keep alive the great contributions of South Asian singers, musicians and artistes and to also help train youngsters in classical and other forms of music,” adds Shaikh.
And, with his infinite love for the one and only Mohammed Rafi, Shaikh displays his affection for the maestro by saying, “Rafi Saab should be remembered until Qayamat. There can never be anyone quite like him,” he rightly adds, before returning to the stage to sing the memorable, “O duniya ke rakhwale, sun dard bhare mere naare,” from the 1952 classic “Baiju Bawra. The audience are quick to give Shaikh a standing ovation to his final performance for the evening.
At the event, Shaikh also paid tribute to the brother-sister actor duo, the late Mehmood and Minoo Mumtaz, who have been credited for entertaining cine goers for several decades. Mehmood is best remembered for is acting prowess in films like Do Phool, Padosan, Pyar Kiye Jaa, Gumnaam, Waris and Kuwaara Baap.
His sister Minoo Mumtaz is fondly remembered for films in the 1950s and 1960s, ranging from Black Cat, Howrah Bridge, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Saheb Bibi aur Ghulam, Yahudi and Kaagaz Ke Phool among others.
Her son Ajaz Ali and daughter-in-law Shagufta Ashrafi were chief guests at the event, accepting a plaque to commemorate the brother-sister’s contribution to Indian cinema.
And, while Shaikh wants to continue to render more musical shows to entertain Canadians, his love for the man with the golden voice goes beyond music. “Rafi Saab was a humane singer and could depict so many musical moods in his voice. He has sung fun songs, classical songs, romantic numbers, bhajans, qawwali and done justice to all genres of music.”
“I hope I continue to sing his songs and entertain audiences until my very last breath!”