Friday 26 / April / 2024
Muscat: Haitham Mohammed Rafi, the first finalist of the Indian reality show Dil Hai Hindustani, is back home in Muscat for a short visit before the grand finale, which is set to take place on April 1.
Watch Times TV interview with Haitham Rafi, Dil Hai Hindustani finalist
“I’ve always dreamed of getting into shows, becoming a superstar, singing, and seeing lots of audience. It is happening now,” said an ecstatic Rafi, who performed last night at the Oman Avenues Mall.
The simple 23 year-old boy was one among the thousands, who had auditioned for the show that had invited talented singers from across the globe. “When I participated, I remember there was a Gujrati guy named Ben from America. He was telling me about Indian culture and singing style. In India, there are a lot of styles in singing like ghazals, sufi, classical.”
“I have my own style. When I sing Hindi songs I add an Arabic style.”
In Oman, where he was only exposed to local shows done not too often in front of a small crowd, to performing in front of a live audience of hundreds and televisions audience of millions in a foreign land, and being constantly judged by the best and biggest names in the industry, has not been an easy task for Rafi.
“It’s not easy singing in front of the judges, who are legends. That’s why, if you watch my videos I always close my eyes and sing.”
Even his journey on the show has not been a cakewalk. Rafi was eliminated once on the same day his mother paid him a surprise visit on the sets.
However, his talent, hard work, and attitude forced the judges to bring him back to show as a wildcard contestant.
“When my mom came I was very happy, but the same day I got eliminated. I was thinking ‘khallas (Its over) Haitham,’ I am going back to Oman and don’t know what I’ll do. I was a personal banker and I had left my job for the show because I love singing. My mom would tell me to think before leaving my job and ask if the Indian audience would accept me. But now I’m a finalist.”
Rafi himself has seen a gradual evolution in the few months that he spent in Oman, both in his performance, as well as his appearance. “When I first took the stage, I was wearing the dishdasha; then I started changing my style.” Rafi has also used the opportunity to meet some of the greatest Bollywood actors, who he had always looked up to and been a huge fan of. “I met a lot of actors and actresses on the sets of Dil Hai Hindustani. It was so amazing when I met King Khan (actor Shah Rukh Khan) for the first time,” said Rafi, recalling that unforgettable moment with the widest grin on his face.
He wants people in Oman to understand how reality shows can change your life and realise the importance of participating in a contest like Dil Hai Hindustani. “If you start uploading songs on social media its good. But if you participate in reality shows, you get more experience because of vocal teachers and judges, who teach you. So if someone wants to sing you must participate in reality shows.”
“My life has changed completely. I’ve got a lot of fans. I am so happy.”
