KOCHI: Singer Abid Anwar is feeling good. Next month, he will be going on a four-week singing tour to the US. “Thanks to God, I got this opportunity,” he says. But he is the rare singer who also has one foot in acting. He has acted in a Tamil film, called ‘Life is colourful’ directed by S.S Kumaran. Abid played a character called Vijay. He had also acted in ‘Kerala Naatilam Pengal Udanayy’ (2014), which was directed by S S Kumaran, apart from the Malayalam film, ‘Innanu Aa Kalyanam’ (2011), directed by Rajasenan.
It was Rajasenan who played a pivotal role in his entry in films. In a reality show in which Abid participated, Rajasenan was one of the celebrity judges. “He saw my performance and queried if I would be interested in acting,” says the Kochi-based Abid. “That was how I made my debut in Rajasenan’s film. I decided to concentrate on acting and went on to do a serial ‘Devi Mahatmyam’, in which I had a prominent role.”
Later Abid got the lead role in the film, ‘Flat No 4B’ (2014), which was directed by Krishnajith S Vijayan. “I got a lotof appreciation for my performance,” says the 29-year-old. “Now I am looking forward to getting more roles in Malayalam films.” Apart from all this, he has acted in a few short films like ‘Target’ and ‘Naalathe Nagaram’, a film for the Kochi Metro. Currently, he is excited about the upcoming release of his Tamil film, ‘Kerala Naatilam Pengal Udana’.
But singing also remains a priority. He grew up listening to the songs of Mohammed Rafi and became a fan. But his training was in Carnatic music which began when he was seven years old. Recently, Abid has set up a four-member music band called ‘Yaadon Ki Baraat’, in which he sings retro Hindi songs. “We have performed in quite a few places,” he says. He has also sung for two Malayalam films and also for albums, in addition to being a part of more than 300 stage shows. To cap his multi-faceted personality, he has also modelled for some prominent brands like SonyMax, Airtel, and Kalyan Silks.
Today, this MBA graduate also runs an event management company called ‘IDEES Creations’
There are only a handful of successful actor-singers, so which does he like more? “Singing gave me a head start,” he says. “The kind of exposure I got through various reality shows and meeting the right people helped me to get a break in tinsel town.
While acting is my passion, singing is an integral part of me, something I will carry with me forever.” The Malayalam industry is teeming with fresh talent, so as a singer, does he find the going tough? Abid candidly says, “I am more comfortable singing in Hindi, but I am taking my Malayalam music very seriously. I am brushing up on my Carnatic and Hindustani lessons too. It would be great if I could sing and act.”