In front of the small podium in the hospital, the sparse crowd sat listening attentively, tapping their feet to Aa Oruthi, the song from Prithviraj-starrer Anarkali. The energy was epidemic; the listeners forgot their pain and misery as they listened to the soothing voices of Shabnam and Shifas.
The siblings appeared honoured and touched, while speaking after the concert held as part of ‘Arts and Medicine — Santhwana Sangeetham’, organised at Government General Hospital, Ernakulam, every Wednesday by Kochi Biennale Foundation, Mehaboob Memorial Orchestra and CAFS.
Shabnam says, “This is our first experience of performing in a hospital atmosphere. Since childhood, we have been singing at charity events. We started off with roadside shows with a troupe named ‘Sriragam’, which is engaged in charity activities.” Back then, Shabnam was in Class I and Shifas, a Class IV student.
Now teens, they have shot to fame for their talent and humanitarian acts. Be it classical music or film songs, these siblings perform them with ease and hope to venture into playback singing one day. Born to Basheer, a businessman, and Nisha, a homemaker, in Palluruthy, Shabnam and Shifas admit that their parents are their biggest supporters. “They motivate and encourage us in every aspect of our lives,” he says.
The music gene was passed down to them from their mother, who is also a singer, though not a professional one. The duo has been training in music for the past eight years under Carnatic singer Soubhagyavalli and is currently performing with a Kollam-based troupe. Shifas, who is planning to join a sound engineering course, was a semi-finalist on a TV music show. Shabnam, a commerce graduation student, was a semi-finalist on another TV music reality show, for which she now works as a groomer. So, how do they manage studies, their passion and other activities?
“It’s not that difficult,” says Shabnam, adding that their friends and teachers offer them ample support. “What matters is the joy people experience while listening to our music,” she smiles.
