There are artists that inspire all of us and others that
stir the hidden artist within us. However, some people take the need to pay
homage to their idols to a level that others can only aspire to. Such is the
case of Rajiv Singbal, an artist who stays true to the ideals of his idol,
Mohammed Rafi.
“My event, now in its sixth year, is a tribute to a
legendary singer who ushered India into its golden era of Hindi music in the
50s, 60s and 70s. I will be joined in performance by my troupe that consists of
Vibha Algundgi, Rafiq Shaikh and Arvind Kumar,” says Singbal with great
enthusiasm.
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The moment Rafi opens up as a topic of discussion, Singbal’s
face lights up and he begins to relive a part of his youth. “I am not merely a
fan of Rafi, but a devotee. I spend many hours of the day in practice and do my
best to emulate a man I consider to be my master. When I was younger, I lived
near Shivaji Park in Dadar where I would notice Mohammed Rafi coming from
Bandra and heading to Famous Studios, his preferred venue to record his music.
I was in much awe of both his songs as well as his voice. He was a
multi-faceted talent who sang in many languages, including Konkani with Lorna,”
says an emotional Rajiv, who was known in certain circles as Junior Rafi in his
youth.
Like any true fan, Rajiv has (apart from a large investment
of himself) invested time, effort and expenditure into procuring memorabilia of
Mohammed Rafi’s music including vinyl records, cassettes, video tapes, audio
CDs, VCDs and DVDs.
The obvious question that comes to mind is how close is
Junior compared to his master? “Surely you jest,” says an emphatic Singbal.
“Rafi’s voice was unique and while many have tried to emulate him, none have
come close. Think of his voice as an ocean with any and all replications the
equivalent of a mere drop in that same ocean,” he concludes.
