Mauke pe chauka!

Gaurav Kanthwal

His only regret was that people take him to be a Pakistani Sufi singer. His name — Alamgir Khan, and his profile on the internet, only made it worse. After lending his voice to the popular World Cup ad jingle Mauka Mauka, Alam was hardly ready for a shock! But he did receive one. For the last one month, he has been enjoying the success of the World Cup promo and taking great pains to explain that he is born in Patiala, brought up under the auspices of the Patiala Gharana.

“I never thought this would become such a popular jingle. It is on everybody’s lips these days. I have been told that the Indian team in Australia has also liked it very much,” said the 28-year-old singer, in Chandigarh recently for a television channel programme.

The singer shared that he was hesitant to take up the assignment at first as it gives Mauka to archrivals Pakistan, but later realised that it just poked fun. “My style of singing and training in Patiala Gharana made my job easy. Normally, an ad jingle takes about 2-3 hours but I finished it in 15 minutes.” Alam revealed that the ‘Mauka’ qawwali, which began in the run-up to India versus Pakistan World Cup match, has been extended and will be on air on March 17-18 as well.

Prior to this, Alam’s interest in cricket was restricted only till the time Yuvraj Singh was hitting sixes. Alam says he started watching cricket only because he liked Yuvraj Singh’s big hitting. “I have been lucky to meet him during a function in Chappar Chiri. That was my only brush with cricket and cricketers.”

Although Alam has sung in various Bollywood movies, including Bodyguard’ (Desi Beat), Khiladi 786 (title track) and Shaadi Ke Side-effects (Tauba Main Vyah Kar Ke Pachtaya), it is this promo that has given him recognition and fame. “People have now started recognising me and my work in Mumbai.” Born in Lalauda village in Nabha, Patiala, Alam says his father Murli Khan, also his Guru, trained him in classical music. “Patiala Gharana musicians are more of classical singers, but I am fond of experimenting,” says Alam, who has more of a ‘chest’ voice.