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Biography
Shabbir Kumar is a singer. He was a leading Bollywood playback singer in 1980s.
Shabbir Kumar started his music career with the stage show Ek Shaam Rafi Ke Naam, a tribute to Mohammed Rafi. Shabbir claims that when he attended Rafi's funeral in 1980, his pen fell into Rafi's open grave. He interpreted the incident as a divine message that he was to be Rafi's successor. Shabbir Kumar tried for a break in the Bollywood films, among other Rafi-inspired singers such as Anwar and Mohammed Aziz. Music director Usha Khanna gave Shabbir Kumar a break in the film Tajurba (1981). Shabbir got a major break, when the director Manmohan Desai, who was looking for a Rafi substitute, noticed him recommended him to music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal (L-P). Within a few days, L-P gave Shabbir Kumar a few songs in the film Coolie, which was released in 1983. Shabbir's first relased film with L-P was Main Intequam Loonga. Shabbir Kumar was first noted for a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Raat Hai Kuch Khoyi Khoyi from Prem Tapasya (1983). Music director Anu Malik got him to sing for Rajeev Kapoor in Ek Jaan Hain Hum (1983). Shabbir Kumar was acknowledged as a leading playback singer with the film Betaab. The music director, Rahul Dev Burman got him to sung all the five songs for Sunny Deol. Also, in 1983, Coolie was released, in which L-P had given him all the seven songs, six for Amitabh Bachchan, and one for Rishi Kapoor. In 1980s Shabbir Kumar sang for all the leading music directors including Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rahul Dev Burman, Kalyanji-Anandji, Rajesh Roshan, Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik, Ravindra Jain, Raamlaxman, and Uttam Singh. He did playback singing for leading actors such as Dilip Kumar, Dharmendra, Jackie Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Raj Babbar, Govinda, Chunky Pandey, Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav, Kamal Hassan and Rajnikant. In late 1980s, Mohammed Aziz, another singer inspired by Mohammed Rafi, sidelined Shabbir Kumar. By late 1990s, Shabbir Kumar was no longer a leading singer in Bollywood. His last hit songs were Gori Hai Kalaiyan from Aaj Ka Arjun (1990) and Sochna Kya from Ghayal (1990). Shabbir then started concentrating on stage shows. He sang for a few films in 2000s, Ghaath (2000), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), and Aan: Men at Work (2004). Shabbir Kumar has a son Dilshad Sheikh. In 2004, the Bandra police booked Shabbir Kumar and his family members for demanding dowry worth Rs. 25 lakh from his daughter-in law Anisa, in order to buy music instruments.
Shabbir Kumar started his music career with the stage show Ek Shaam Rafi Ke Naam, a tribute to Mohammed Rafi. Shabbir claims that when he attended Rafi's funeral in 1980, his pen fell into Rafi's open grave. He interpreted the incident as a divine message that he was to be Rafi's successor. Shabbir Kumar tried for a break in the Bollywood films, among other Rafi-inspired singers such as Anwar and Mohammed Aziz. Music director Usha Khanna gave Shabbir Kumar a break in the film Tajurba (1981). Shabbir got a major break, when the director Manmohan Desai, who was looking for a Rafi substitute, noticed him recommended him to music director duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal (L-P). Within a few days, L-P gave Shabbir Kumar a few songs in the film Coolie, which was released in 1983. Shabbir's first relased film with L-P was Main Intequam Loonga. Shabbir Kumar was first noted for a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Raat Hai Kuch Khoyi Khoyi from Prem Tapasya (1983). Music director Anu Malik got him to sing for Rajeev Kapoor in Ek Jaan Hain Hum (1983). Shabbir Kumar was acknowledged as a leading playback singer with the film Betaab. The music director, Rahul Dev Burman got him to sung all the five songs for Sunny Deol. Also, in 1983, Coolie was released, in which L-P had given him all the seven songs, six for Amitabh Bachchan, and one for Rishi Kapoor. In 1980s Shabbir Kumar sang for all the leading music directors including Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rahul Dev Burman, Kalyanji-Anandji, Rajesh Roshan, Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik, Ravindra Jain, Raamlaxman, and Uttam Singh. He did playback singing for leading actors such as Dilip Kumar, Dharmendra, Jackie Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Mithun Chakraborty, Raj Babbar, Govinda, Chunky Pandey, Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav, Kamal Hassan and Rajnikant. In late 1980s, Mohammed Aziz, another singer inspired by Mohammed Rafi, sidelined Shabbir Kumar. By late 1990s, Shabbir Kumar was no longer a leading singer in Bollywood. His last hit songs were Gori Hai Kalaiyan from Aaj Ka Arjun (1990) and Sochna Kya from Ghayal (1990). Shabbir then started concentrating on stage shows. He sang for a few films in 2000s, Ghaath (2000), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), and Aan: Men at Work (2004). Shabbir Kumar has a son Dilshad Sheikh. In 2004, the Bandra police booked Shabbir Kumar and his family members for demanding dowry worth Rs. 25 lakh from his daughter-in law Anisa, in order to buy music instruments.