On His Birthday, Reliving Sonu Nigam’s Day as an Anonymous Street Singer
New Delhi: Sonu Nigam, one of the most beloved voices in the Hindi film industry, celebrates his 51st birthday today. Over the last three decades, he has captivated audiences with his soulful tunes. One of the most memorable moments in his career was in 2016, when he disguised himself as a street musician and performed on the streets of Mumbai. This unique experiment, titled “The Roadside Ustaad,” was part of a video released on Culture Machine’s digital channel Being Indian.
Sonu transformed his appearance with a fake beard, rugged clothes, and sunglasses, making him unrecognizable. Armed with a harmonium, he sat at a street corner in Juhu and performed the iconic title track from Kal Ho Naa Ho. The experiment aimed to see how pedestrians would react to the singing of an old man on the street.
As he sang, passersby were drawn to his powerful voice. The crowd soon gathered, enchanted by the soulful performance. The responses were overwhelmingly positive, with many people stopping to listen, applauding, and even offering money as a token of appreciation. One passerby was so moved that he asked if he could record Sonu’s voice on his phone. The video was a testament to the universal appeal of music, transcending all boundaries.
Reflecting on the experience, Sonu mentioned how liberating it was to perform without the pressure of his celebrity status. He remarked, “For the first time, I was not me. The makeup was so good and authentic that people standing so close to me couldn’t recognize.”
To celebrate his birthday this year, Sonu plans to spend the day with his extended family, including his dedicated fans. He will host a special movie screening of a documentary about his February concert in Dubai. The film captures a challenging moment when he lost his voice just days before the show but managed to recover and deliver a remarkable 3.5-hour performance for nearly 20,000 fans. Sonu expressed his desire to share this intimate experience with his fans, whom he considers part of his extended family. He said, “People who love you and follow your work live your life vicariously. So, when something as eventful as my experience during the Dubai concert happened, I decided to document it and felt like making my extended family a part of it.”
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