Sonu Nigam: It Mohammed Rafi who made me who I am today

Mumbai: Sonu Nigam paid tribute to Mohammed Rafi with “Sau Saal Pehle 2.0 – Ek Baar Phir Se.” The renowned singer called the late legend his guru and credited him for who he is today.

Speaking at the show, Sonu said, “Mohammed Rafi sahab was my first guru. And I am so grateful to the Almighty and my parents for giving me an opportunity to learn from my musical father. It was my father who introduced me to Rafi Sahab’s music, and it was Rafi Sahab who made me who I am today…”

“Rafi Sahab ki wajah se main hoon, mera wajood hai (Because of Rafi Sahab, I exist; I have an identity). Hence, this concert holds a very special place in my heart as it’s like a bhakt showing his devotion to his guru,” Sonu added.

Organised by NR Talent & Event Management, the concert was a fitting tribute to Mohammed Rafi’s enduring legacy, with Sonu paying homage to his musical father. The lineup included iconic songs from Mohammed Rafi’s timeless repertoire, accompanied by a live orchestra.

Sonu performed classics like ‘Tu Kahan Ye Bata’, ‘Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho’, ‘Main Zindagi Ka Saath’, ‘Rang Aur Noor Ki Baraat’, ‘Parda Hai Parda’, ‘Pukarta Chala Hoon Main’, ‘Dard-e-Dil’, ‘Suhaani Raat’, ‘Kya Hua Tera Waada’, among others.

Two highlights of the lineup were a soul-stirring unplugged section, which saw Sonu singing Rafi’s all-time classics ‘Phir Miloge Kabhi’, ‘Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par’, ‘Abhi Na Jaao Chodkar’, ‘Jaane Kya Dhoondhti Rehti Hain’, ‘Jo Waada Kiya Wo’, ‘Chaudavin Ka Chand’, among others.

A heartfelt moment at the concert was when Sonu invited the children of both his gurus – Mohammed Rafi and Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan on stage.

While Shahid Rafi, son of Mohammed Rafi, was accompanied by his wife, Firdaus, Rabbani Mustafa Khan, son of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan had wife Namrata Gupta Khan, also his business partner, for company.

The audience cheered on and gave a standing ovation as an emotional Shahid Rafi crooned ‘Chand Mera Dil’ and ‘Gulabi Aakhein’.

Hosts Rabbani Mustafa Khan and Namrata Gupta Khan of NR Talent & Event Management jointly said: “We feel honoured that God chose us to organise an event like this. Given the resounding success of Sau Saal Pehle on Rafi sahab’s 100th birth anniversary on December 24, 2024, we knew that it was the beginning of something profound and long-lasting.”

IANS