JEDDAH, 3 February 2008 — He came, he sang and won the hearts and minds of the audience. In a rare feat, Mohammed Vakil, one of the budding young Indian classical singers, kept over 1,500 music lovers spellbound with his superb rendition for almost five hours here at International Indian School, Jeddah auditorium, on Thursday.

The cognoscenti were there in large numbers at the IISJ auditorium to listen to Vakil. Accompanied by musicians Shifaat Khan (tabla), Jose (keyboard), Mohammed Ahad (guitar) and Ustad Nasir Khan (harmonium), Vakil put on a good show.

Attired in an elegant embroidered pink sherwani, Vakil epitomized poise and grace, a singer par excellence and a paragon of humility and piety. He has enchanted millions of music lovers and transcended geographical borders.

His fans patiently heard him and encouraged him to sing one beautiful ghazal after another, making it clear that ghazal has survived the onslaught of over-produced pop remixes.

The winner of ZEE TV musical show “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa,” Vakil said, “Ghazal touches the core of the heart. The emphasis is both on the gayaki (singing) and the words that stir the soul and that is why it is not only surviving rather thriving despite all odds.”

As the show progressed, it turned out to be a nostalgic musical evening. Everyone present enjoyed Vakil’s renditions, which brought the audience to its feet, clapping along with the beats.

Beginning with a classic offering of “Honthon Ko Chu Lo Tum; Mera Geet Amar Ker Do,” Vakil kept the audience in rapt attention by mesmerizing them with his melody-soaked voice and rendered all-time favorites, which include “Tum Ko Dekha to Ye Khyal Aya,” “Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho, Kya Ghum Hai Jisko Chupa Rahe Ho,” to “Ranjish Hi Sahi; Dil Hi Dukhane Ke Liye Aa, Aa Ke Phir Se Mujhe Chor Ke Jane Ke Liye Aa.”

By interacting with the audience, Vakil was able to strike the right chord. Some of his other ghazals which audience enjoyed amid clapping and cheering include “Chupke Chupke Raat Din Ansoon Bahana Yaad Hai; Humko Ab Tak Ashiqui Ka Woh Zamana Yaad Hai,” “Khuda Kare Ke Woh Mera Naseeb Ho Jaye; Woh Jitna Door Hai Utna Qareeb Ho Jaye,” and “Ishq Jab Ek Taraf Ho to Saza Deta Hai; Dono Taraf Ho to Maza Deta Ha.”

The evening reached its crescendo when Vakil sang legendary Indian singer Mohammed Rafi’s “Baharoon Phool Barsaoo, Mera Mahbbob Aya Hai, Mera Mahboob Aya Hai” and “Chaudhveen Ka Chand Ho Ya Aftab Ho, Jo Bhi Ho Tum Khuda Ki Qasam Lajawab Ho.”

In the last leg of the show the versatile singer sang some of the ragas to display his command and mastery over the classical singing. He also rendered the famous “qawaali” “Aaya Tere Dar Par” which he has sang for the film “Veer Zaara.”

Vakil belongs to a “gharana” that is renowned for its musical inclination in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has been singing ghazal for more than 20 years now. So flawless was his voice that Magnasound released his first album “Kasak,” when he was just a teen-aged boy.

The album helped him display his talent and carved a niche for himself as a serious singer. He hopes to further consolidate his position with the album “Keh Do Keh Do” released by Sony music.

His victory in the hugely popular realty show “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa,” a decade ago transformed his life as lucrative offers for stage shows and some playback singing came is way immediately after the show was over, when stalwarts like Jagjit Singh, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Pandit Jasraj, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Naushad, Kalyanji, Anandji and O.P. Nayyar amongst other judged him the best of the best, he was signed on by Magnasound as an exclusive artiste. His very first album, “Kasak”, went on to attain gold status, a rarity for ghazal cassettes of new artistes.

This second album of his comprises romantic songs in different moods. Vakil sings the lyrics of the late Hasrat Jaipuri, Qateel Shifai, Rafique Jaipuri and Krishna Bihari Noor with élan. The title song has also been picturized on Amar Upadhyay.

Music has been composed by Ustad Ahmed Hussain and Ustad Mohammad Hussain, who happen to be his maternal uncles and guru.

Later, Vakil won the Rajashtan government’s Sangeet Natak Academy Award, the Star Award from Delhi and the R.D. Burman Pancham Samman. Sony music has released his first solo album.

Presently, he is anchoring a ghazla show called “Ghazal Sara” on ETV. The show promotes young classical singers. It’s providing young singers a good platform.

To Vakil’s credit, he has not indulged in any vocal calisthenics and has sung ghazals as they ought to be sung. With practice, he has made a place for himself in the sun.

Vakil is married to his cousin Yasmeen Bano, he has got two sons, Mohammed Najmul Hussain and Mohammed Ajmal Hussain.

Speaking about reality shows aimed at talent hunting, Vakil said, “They come, conquer and promptly disappear!” It happens to almost all winners of talent shows. After the public hysteria dies down, and a couple of albums are released, the winners just seem to disappear, he said.

Remember Abhijeet Sawant, the first Indian Idol? Or the second runner up, Amit Sana? He was last seen strolling unnoticed in a suburban Mumbai shopping mall, the singer said.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t found a single singer from these talent hunts who has clicked big time,” says the budding singer.

“We haven’t produced any big singers so far, like Himesh Reshammiya, from these programs. It will take us time to produce a genuine super singer from these contests.”

The musical session was organized under the auspices of India Forum, a non-profit socio-cultural organization, known for hosting Jeddah’s music lovers with many such names in the past.

Earlier, several Indian organizations felicitated octogenarian Rafiuddin Fazalbhuoy for his selfless service of over 50 years to the Indian community in Jeddah. Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed presented a memento to Fazalbhuoy as vice patron of India Forum. Two little girls Raksha Ramkumar and Fana Mohammed Rafik presented memento to Fazalbhuoy on behalf of the Tamil community in Jeddah. Consul Haj Dr. Suhel Ejaz Khan and other consulate officials were also present.

Fazalbhuoy, is one of the recipients of “Pravasi Bahratiya Award” 2007. He received the award in New Delhi from President Pratibha Patil, in recognition of his services to the community in Jeddah.

India Forum President Kader Khan, Secretary A.G. Danish, who also anchored the evening, Program Coordinator Aslam Ebad Khan and their entire team was on its toes to make the show memorable.