Kerala street singer performs in UAE today
Babubhai, winner of reality show in India, set to win fans in the UAE
The UAE, where international singers come to perform, will witness the performance of a unique vocalist today — a street singer.
Babubhai, a Gujarati street singer who sang his way to stardom in the south Indian state of Kerala, is set to perform along with his family at a show in Sharjah this evening.
Playing a dholak (a two-headed hand drum) and singing old Hindi songs, Babubhai has won several hearts and also a television reality show, thus becoming the face of contemporary street singers in Kerala.
Though his parents hailed from Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat, he was born and raised in Kozhikode in Kerala. Sharing his story at the Gulf News office, Babubhai, 61, said he lived as a street urchin in his childhood. “My parents were ■ street singers. We had no home. I learnt to play dholak seeing my father doing it. We learnt film songs by listening to the radio.”
In 2009 Babubhai took part in a television reality show featuring street singers in Kerala. The popular show gifted each of the 17 participants a house, and Babubhai became the first prize winner.
Entry to his show at Rayan Hotel is free. The show starts at 5.30pm.