Click to view attachmentPlayback singer Anwar Hussain is a big fan of late Mohammed Rafi, so much so that he misses him everyday. So come 31 July, Anwar Hussain is all set to lend his voice to Rafi Saab’s songs on the legend’s death anniversary at a charity concert in Indore.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I have been a huge fan of Rafi Saab from childhood, and have grown up on his songs,” says Anwar. “This charity concert in Indore, where the organizers invited me to sing some of Rafi Saab’s songs is an opportunity for me to pay a tribute to my idol.”
Born in 1949, Anwar Hussain started taking lessons in classical singing when he was 13 from Abdul Rehman Khan. He started singing Mohd. Rafi songs at various concerts. It was during one of those musical evenings that Anwar was spotted by well-known music director Kamal Rajasthani, who gave him a chance to sing for his film Mere Garib Nawaz. “I got a chance to sing Rafi Saab’s song ‘Kasme hum apni jaan ki khaye chale gaye’. After listening to my voice, a lot of people came forward and told me that my voice sounded a lot like Rafi Saab. I didn’t know how to react to this compliment as I was new that time,” recalls Anwar Hussain.
In 1977, comedian Mehmood gave Anwar a chance to sing in his film, Janta Hawaldar, the song, ‘Humse ka bhul hui’. The song was a super hit amongst the audiences, and Anwar Hussain started getting work and recognition. He also sang for superhit films like Naseeb, Vidhata and Noorie. When the remix revolution started making inroads into the music scene, Anwar got bored of the music being churned out then and took a sabbatical. He settled for a while in America. He realized later that running away does not solve the problem, which brought him back to the city.
Today, Anwar Hussain is busy doing shows, cutting his own album, but he’s not ready to lend his voice to the kind of songs in films nowadays. “I have a serious voice, and this does not fit in today’s songs. But if a song suits my voice, than I will definitely sing the song,” he concludes.