Face 2 Face With Isaq Baig
Mohideen Isaq
Baig is the son of the well known
singer of late AL haj Mohideen Baig, who made himself a household name in Sri
Lanka, after migrating from India and making Sinhala singing a career. Ishaq Baig was absorbed into the
industry when he had to step into his father's shoes unexpectedly when Mohideen
Baig suddenly passed away, just before a golden jubilee anniversary concert to
which he had committed.
Despite his ambition to pursue higher studies
after his 'A' levels, he was drawn into a singing career reluctantly. Ishaq
Baig has inherited his father's talents no doubt, his high-pitched tone almost
similar to Senior Baig’s voice, and the father’s reputation has all added to
junior Baig's success.
During his short career in professional
singing, he embarked on overseas concerts to entertain thousands of Sri Lankan
expatriates in Australia and in the Middle Eastern countries. Recently he
arrived in London for the first time and received a standing ovation when he
sang with G.S.B. Rani.
He does not want to be a singer for the rest of
his life, he says, but wants to become an entrepreneur, plans for which are
still on the drawing board. 'My father
came from India and died in Sri Lanka but I am a son of Sri Lanka and I would
not want to emigrate to any other country but die in Sri Lanka, this is my
country, says Isaq Mohideen Baig. During his whistle stop tour to
London, the writer managed to have a face to face chat with him.
Q. You are the son of the late Mohideen Baig,
who reigned the singers' world in Sri Lanka for decades. Even though he is 'not
with his fans' today, his voice is certainly amongst Sri Lankans. What makes
you follow his footsteps of becoming a singer?
A. Frankly,
I never wanted to become a singer in the first instance. My father always
discouraged it. His advice to me was never to become a singer in Sri Lanka!
It was a coincidence and an incredulous story. 20th November 1991 was the
hallmark. There was a variety show dedicated to Master D.T.Fernando, on his
Golden Jubilee celebration for being in the Sinhala Music Industry for
50 years. My father was to have taken part in that show in a big way but
unfortunately just 20 days prior to the show father expired. Organisers and
Master D.T.Fernando were in a quandary and I was approached to see whether I
could fill in the gap, at least for 'Mohideen Baig's namesake'.
Q. How come, if you had not sung before?
A. Although
I had not sung from a public platform before, I knew I had inherited some of my
father's talents. (Smiling) After all, it should be in the blood, Is it not? I
had no choice, but to stand in for my late father during the show. Maybe,
Master D.T.Fernando knew that I could handle it.
Q. So how did the show go?
A. I
sang my father's songs, " Aneka Jathi Sansare", Samada Thama hisata',
'Nari Latha Pushpe', 'Prema Lokaya' and Prema Gange," which were received
very well. I was happy at least that I could do justice to the show, in the
absence of my father upon whom the organisers were totally dependent upon, on
that particular day.
Q. How did you pick up from there?
A. Mr.
Herath at Srimalee Enterprises approached me to do a musical cassette. My
father had done quite a lot of recordings for Srimalee Enterprises with Mr.
Herath during his time, so it was, a kind of an opportunity that fell on my lap.
Q. What was your first professional singing
cassette called?
A. " Piya
Senehasa" - (Father's Love). All songs in that cassette were
dedicated to my father. Stanley Peiris arranged music.
Q. How was the public response to it?
A. It
was very well received, and it led me to do more. Since the first recording
I have done 30 cassettes of songs and cut CDs as well - all what father had
sung before.
Q. Haven't you given thought to sing your own
songs, now that people identify you as the Junior Mohideen Baig?
A. Yes,
it's on the cards right now. By about in mid June 2004, I expect to release
some of my own songs.
Q. Have you not been approached by any Music
Direct to be a background singer for films?
A. Why
not? I have sung in ten films. I sang in the comedy 'Wela in London', which was shown in London as well, some time
back. I did a bit of acting in a new film, produced by Roy de Silva where
Gamini Fonseka came back to acting once again. In the film I will have a
unique opportunity to sing a duet song with Pundit Amaradeva.
Q. How do you react to peoples’ comment that you
have the identical voice of your father and they can't distinguish the
difference unless they look at the name on the cassette or the CD?
A. No I
don 't think so. I don't think they can compare me with my father at all. It's
an insult to him if I accept that. Mohideen Baig was a unique singer who had a
very high-pitched powerful voice.
Q You are being modest here. When I listened to your singing for the first
time in London, I too was convinced to a greater extent to that notion. I guess
you have the 'young’ Mohideen Baig's voice' and of course you were born and
bread in Sri Lanka that your Sinhala accent is slightly different from that of
your father's. Otherwise, on a question of high-pitched voice, I am convinced
that you too have the same capacity as I could hear it vibrate through the
Camden Hall in London.
A. No
comment (smiling!)
Q. Did you have any voice training at all?
A. None
whatsoever. I guess I was born with it!
Q. As GSB Rani said from the London platform,
you were privileged to sing duets with popular icons such as GSB Rani and Latha
Walpola, with whom your father sang and became quite popular. How do you feel about it?
A. Yes,
it's a unique opportunity. I have sung with GSB Rani and every song I sang with
Latha Walpola too became a popular hit.
Q. What was your father's advice to you when you
were young boy?
A. 'Son,
never become a professional singer. If you want to sing, do it only as a
hobby'.
Q. Then why are you doing it?
A. I
had no choice. I was more or less pushed into the deep end when my father
died 20 days before his show, as I mentioned earlier. From there onwards I was
automatically getting carried away with the current, but I do not want to
continue with it for too long and I would pass on my father's advice to my
children too. I say to them, first
comes studies and then the singing only as a hobby, if you want to sing.
Q. But you have been having a successful career
as a professional singer so far, so, why do you want to quit?
A. True.
Although this is my maiden trip to London, I have been to Australia and covered
the whole of the Middle Eastern countries many a time, entertaining the Sri
Lankan expatriate audiences. Also I get the opportunity of touring within Sri
Lanka and performing on variety of performances. But this is not a fixed, permanent,
or guaranteed career. You cannot compare singers in Sri Lanka with other
countries. It's good as long as the going is good, and when the curtain falls
down on you there is no one to help you. On one aspect it is good for
your ego when people identify you and come to you on the high street, inside a
bus or shops and say hello, but I will have to think of the future and the
future of my children.
Q. Do you have a family?
A. Yes,
I have three children, that is why I have to think twice seriously. . When I passed
my 'A Level' examination, I wanted to pursue on higher studies and my
entire future academic world got shattered when mye father died.
Q. If you want to quit singing, then what do you
want to do career wise?
A. At
the moment I have a business plan, connected with travel. However, I am still
putting the pieces in the jigsaw in to place, and you will come to hear about it in the future.
Q. Didn't you consider anything else at all, while you were singing all
these years, if you did not want to be a singer?
A. I
would have been a professional cricketer today, but it all boils down to your
fate, I suppose. I used to be a good cricketer and opening bat at the Sinhala
Sports Club. I used to play with Arjuna
Ranatunge, Hashan Tillekeratne and Aravinda de Silva. My first choice
was cricket but now it's too late, for one thing I have no time and the age
barrier limits playing any cricket.
Q. So, now that you have experienced quite a bit
of life outside Sri Lanka by visiting Australia, Middle Eastern countries and
London, would you like to live abroad given the opportunity?
A. No
way! My father came to Sri Lanka from India, did a great job and died in Sri
Lanka. I was born and bred in Sri Lanka, and it is my country and I want to
live and die in my country of birth.
Q. Is there any special song that is near and
dear to your heart, out of your father's selection of songs.
A. Yes.
My favourite song - Buddham Saranam
Gachchami. I always start a show by singing that song as a tribute to my
late father.
London – 2004 – News Lanka