21st September 2024 witnessed something spectacular and melodious as Bipin R Pandit’s melody fest ‘Khumaar’ celebrated the birth centenary of late Shri. Mohd. Rafi Saab. The musical extravaganza, now, in its 19th year has already achieved Pan India status, enthralling attendees from various cities across India. ‘Khumaar’ celebrated this milestone with a packed house and prominent figures from the Indian advertising, marketing & PR fraternity along with media. These stalwarts and music aficionados were swooning over the legendary Rafi Sahab’s evergreen songs performed by The Advertising Club COO and Khumaar’s founder Bipin R Pandit and his team of supremely talented singers and musicians.
Pradeep Dwivedi, Group CEO of Eros Media World, a regular ‘Khumaar’ attendee is all praises about the show. “I have been attending Bipin Pandit’s amazing “Khumaar” show for over a decade now. Khumaar stands out for its unique blend of classic Bollywood nostalgia and live performances. Curated by Bipin Pandit, the event reflects his deep passion for music, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere. Each edition features new themes, from tributes to legendary composers and singers to specific Bollywood eras, keeping the show fresh and exciting. Through these innovations, it continues to evolve while maintaining its essence of celebrating timeless music. This year’s show, dedicated to commemorating the birth centenary of the legendary Mohd. Rafi, was truly a memorable celebration. My personal favourite was the rendition of a medley mix of Rafi Sahab’s hits by all artistes with songs that beautifully captured both, his emotional depth and vocal prowess.”
“This year was the first time I attended Khumaar, and what a wonderful show it was! It was evident that Bipin and the entire ensemble had a deep love of music with Rafi Saab’s music in focus. The format was entertaining, innovative and educational all at the same time, which made for an engaging show overall. One of the highlights of the evening was the way Bipin held it all together. The man’s charisma, flair, passion and wit were all on show and made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening”, said Amitesh Rao, CEO, South Asia – Leo Burnett, Publicis Health & Publicis Business.
Ambi Parameswaran, Brand Strategist & Founder of Brand-Building.com was all praises for Pandit, “I have attended many shows of Khumaar. I truly admire Bipin’s dedication and passion towards organising it every year. What is to be also admired is that he gives an opportunity for new singers to perform and selects them very carefully. Bipin innovates with every show and the latest one commemorating Mohd. Rafi Saab was an outstanding success.”
Ramesh Narayan, Founder of Canco Advertising Pvt. Ltd. talks about the show’s evolution over the years. “I have attended almost all the shows except two or three. The production values have grown with every passing year. The addition of some amazing voices has added to the evolution of the show. This year, I found the song selection very different which added to the novelty value of the show. The quality of the audio-visuals was one definite improvement this time around.”
Bobby Pawar, Independent Advisor & Creative Consultant with Network 18, an ardent Mohd. Rafi fan exclaimed, “The 19th edition of Khumaar was a special treat for all of us Mohd. Rafi fans. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the show, which was exceptionally well curated. The singers channeled the spirit of Rafi Saab and put on scintillating performances. Take a bow Bipin Pandit, what a show!”
Many from advertising and media are regulars at ‘Khumaar’ and wait for the next one eagerly. “I had the pleasure to be a part of a yet another beautiful experience of Khumaar. It’s heartening to see Bipin’s passion get so much support not only from our industry but all music lovers. Listening to old Hindi Songs is my all-time favourite daily routine and Khumaar just made it even more special. Looking forward to the next one now,” expressed Megha Tata, Strategic Advisor & Independent Director.
When asked about the USP of the show, Manesh Swamy, MD & Chief Creative Officer – LS Creative explained, “I have managed to attend Khumaar around 5 to 6 times. It’s USP is the host Bipin, with his anecdotes, humor, and a mix of great songs delivered by the talented crew. Thanks to his advertising mindset Bipin makes sure there is something unique in every show, whether it is mixing superstars of cricket and music or the unique data-driven presentation about Rafi Saab this year. It’s a great treat to unwind and mingle with friends from the industry who have similar taste in music.”
Talking about this year’s show, Sanjeev Kotnala, Founder of Intradia World explains, “Khumaar’s USP is its simplicity and a very informal atmosphere, which Bipin Pandit has been able to maintain and exploit. This year’s performance was a different level of Khumaar. The celebration of the birth centenary of the hugely talented and versatile Rafi Saheb was, in many ways, an icing on the cake. The attempted segmentation was well appreciated, and the night grew in involvement and engagement as the songs moved towards the later part of Rafi Saab’s career.”
Sudha Natrajan, Director, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., a first-time attendee talks about her favourite,” Mohd. Rafi is God to me, and it was my pleasure to attend this 6-hour marathon session on God’s Own Music! The unplugged versions of thematic medleys, Bipin had put together were outstanding elements of the show. My most favourite song was Rang aur noor ki baraat kise pesh karoon.”
Strategic Brand Consultant, Ajay Chandwani ranked this year’s show the best. He said, “The show this year was easily among the best ever since the passion and joy de vivre of Mohd. Rafi’s repertoire was ably captured by the singers and brilliantly presented by Bipin Pandit. From melancholy to mischief, the full range of Rafi Saab’s singing was a delightful and unforgettable experience. The songs of Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna and Shammi Kapoor were particularly enjoyable with songs by SD Burman, OP Nayyar and lyrics of SH Bihari and Hasrat Jaipuri standing out.”
Saugata Bagchi, Global Head – Digital, Experiential & Content Marketing – Tata Communications Ltd. has a detailed perspective about this year’s show. He explains, “Every minute was my favourite. Every song was my favourite. Every artiste was my favourite. Bipin’s crowd work & compering was my favourite. The time we had Rafi Saab’s daughter and son-in-law, together on stage with Mahender Kapoor’s son, was very touching. All sections were very thoughtfully curated & the performances superb. It’s not every day that a show that is supposed to get over in 2.5 hours, runs for 5, to a 1000 people glued to their seats!”
Talking about Khumaar growing with every passing year, Zubin Tatna, VP – Strategy, Mindshare mentions, “Don’t lose the essence of the show. Don’t force yourself to change and modify the format for the sake of change. We love the show and, in reality, would like to have more of them. Just one a year, really keeps us begging for more.”
Sunil Lulla – Non-Executive Chairman – Astrum praised Bipin for his research, “The music of Khumaar is always great. Bipin’s passion and love via the tribute demonstrated great insight, study of the legendary artiste. The selection of songs, the anecdotes and the tribute to Mahedra Kapoor was very respectful.”
“900 plus people swaying in hypnotic trance. Singing along every song unabashedly. And reliving an unforgettable era that was thought impossible to recreate. Such was the magic of Bipin Pandit’s Khumaar dedicated to Rafi Saab! Incredible voices! Gems that Bipin presented to us from across India. Couldn’t have been a better tribute to God’s voice on earth who we know as Mohd. Rafi Saab,” says Charulata Ravi Kumar, Managing Director of Accenture summing up her experience this year.
Dhunji Wadia, Founder & Managing Partner, Shift Axis loved the detailing and said, “The show was extremely well researched, scripted and presented by the multi-faceted Bipin Pandit whose passion drives the entire show annually. In its 19th year, Khumaar continues to be a major showcase of Indian movie melodies and talent. The intoxication continues long after the show is over.”
S. Subramanyeswar – Group Chief Executive Officer- India, Chief Strategy Officer- APAC & Global Chair- Strategy – MullenLowe Global, who attended his 5th consecutive show ranks this year’s as the best. “I have attended my 5th consecutive Khumaar show recently. It’s easily the best in the last five years. Bipin Pandit’s musical nights make even the most miserable people smile, and cheer anyone into a great mood. And nothing beats the live performance of this show. It makes you feel free. Also, what is highly commendable is that Bipin brings a new generation of singers into the musical theatre every time and creates new ideas and a new audience. And not to forget about Bipin’s wit with audience and fellow performers that is beyond measure, and also his best treasure.”
Film & TV Actor, Writer and Dramatist Bharat Dabholkar connects the show’s curation with Pandit’s advertising roots. He explains, “They say that many a times advertising slogans don’t live up to their promises. But in case of Bipin Pandit’s musical extravaganza Khumaar, the slogan ‘Khumaar nahi dekha, toh kya dekha’ more than delivers the promise. It’s an amazing amalgamation of the most appropriate selection of songs (expected from an advertising guy to know what the audience wants), some brilliant singers, veterans who have been an integral part of the show for many years and some great new talent discovered by Bipin, who match note to note with the veterans. And then sone pe suhaga is Bipin interacting with the performers on stage and with the audience, with his witty comments and his Urdu shayaris, that one feels like hitting down for later use to show off to our friends.”
Last but not the least, Krishna Iyer – Director – Marketing – MullenLowe Lintas Group summarizes the show’s growth and Pandit’s role when he says, “Khumaar is like a brand that knows how to refresh itself without losing its essence. Bipin Pandit is our very own Sergei Bubka of entertainment—every year, he sets a record and then breaks it the next time around. Just like in advertising, where you keep pushing the creative envelope, Bipin raises the bar with each show. From theme-driven content to top-notch performers, it’s like a 360-degree campaign that keeps evolving and delivering better results every time. Khumaar doesn’t just grow; it scales. Borrowing from Rafi Saab’s song and Shankar Jaikishan’s music that immortalized Hasrat Jaipuri’s words – Khumaar Ko kisiki nazar na lage. Chashme baddoor!”