BB Desk
Attendees of Sau Saal Pehle 2.0 – Ek Baar Phir Se – Mohammed Rafi tribute concert were left speechless by singer Sonu Nigam’s moving homage to the late legend. Organised by NR Talent & Event Management, the concert was a worthy ode to Mohammed Rafi’s lasting legacy with Nigam honouring his musical father. Many people from all across the country travelled to attend the 3.5-hour concert at the Grand Theatre, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), where the Padma Shri laureate performed nearly 50 songs nonstop.
A live orchestra accompanied the lineup, which featured well-known songs from Rafi’s ageless repertoire. Sonu Nigam’s soulful rendition of classics like ‘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’, and ‘Kya Hua Tera Waada’ moved the audience. The high point of the concert was hands down the unplugged segment where Sonu sang some of Rafi’s iconic hits like ‘Phir Miloge Kabhi’, ‘Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par’, ‘Abhi Naa Jaao Chodkar, ‘Jaane Kya Dhoondhti Rehti Hain’, ‘Jo Waada Kiya Wo’, and ‘Chaudavin Ka Chand among others. Sonu’s open and impromptu dialogue with the audience was also one of the most memorable part of the show. The best moment in the concert came when Sonu paid a 20 minute tribute to late actor Shammi Kapoor.
Sonu’s gesture to invite the children of both his gurus- Mohammed Rafi and Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, up on stage during the event was a touching moment. 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 was visibly emotional as it cheered on and gave a standing ovation to Shahid Rafi’s impassioned renditions of ‘Chand Mera Dil’ and ‘Gulabi Aakhein’.
Speaking at the concert, Sonu Nigam 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. Hence, this concert holds a very special place in my heart as its like a bhakt showing his devotion to his guru.”
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. We are so grateful to our brother Sonu Nigam who always supports us in all our endeavours and who better than him to celebrate Rafi Sahab. We can’t wait to bring many more such shows for our audiences”.
