Shabbir Kumar

There actually existed a Bollywood singer with the name Shabbir Kumar. Shabbir Kumar symbolized everything that was antithetical to the art of singing, melody, voice or just music. His survival as a singer (and successful one at that) is testimonial to the torture induced music of Indian movie industry of late 80s. He probably came closest to what we normally call the 3rd degree.

The reason I bring this up today is, I was chatting with my old friend from the college on IM. He alluded to the good 'ol times during our college life, when we sang those songs of the legendary singer in an inebriated state and run into uncontrollable LOLs. We had great time of course and were it not for Shabbir Kumar histrionics, we would have missed some spike in there.

There of course were Shabbir wannabes or duplicates in the singing group who would make Shabbir's voice more Shabbiresque, if you will. There was this one guy, who was the King of Shabbir songs and he shall remain nameless. Oh well, what the heck, lets just call him AK. (He was no less lethal than AK-47 when he sang...'parbato say aaj mein takra gaya..')

We all do crazy things during college/hostel days. But to sing Shabbir songs in a group and right in the middle of the road, completely intoxicated by combination of Haywards 2000, Gold Flake and 'accident ho gaya rabba rabba' was pushing the envelope a bit.. although it did take us on a different plane.

I haven't been on that flight for a while. Seems like a century ago. Sigh!