Expats from all over the world come to the UAE in search of work and better fortunes. These are stories of hard work; of the hope of a better life. Mohammed Shahid is one such story. An Indian electrician living and working in Dubai has a claim to fame besides being an electrician – he is an amazing singer and managed to impress judges more than once.
Lagan Lagi from the Salman Khan starrer Tere Naam was sung by Sukhvider sing and is a difficult song to perform. Mohammed Shahid did a fair job of rendering this tough song which requires good amount of voice control and wide range of vocals.
It was a talent contest organised by Colors Ka Sartaj, a Hindi entertainment channel where Shahid showed his talent. He is a blue collar worker hailing from the Indian state of Bihar; an electrician with an amazing talent.
Mohammed Shahid reached the finals and managed to win. The first prize of AED 10,000 is about the same as his salary for ten months. For him, this is a life-changing win. The extra money will help him in his efforts to build a house in his native Bihar.
Mohammed Shahid revealed that his talent has won him prizes before as well. At a previous occasion, he had won about five thousand dirhams in another Dubai talent contest. With that money, he helped a friend who was looking to get his sister married. He feels that God was pleased with his gesture and that is why he has won on this platform again.
The second prize in the competition was won by Rodel Francisco from the Philippines for his rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow to win AED 5,000. Kamal from Nepal got the third prize. Kamal had been a dancer and choreographer back home and he put his talents to good use to create a skit based on his own life and the lives of other labourers who sacrifice so much for the sake of their families.
Many of the people who come to the UAE in search of work are educated people who are unable to find jobs commensurate with their training. According to Javed Jaffery, who was the judge of the show, platforms such as these talent shows are important for the migrant workers living in the UAE who work hard, have long working hours and tough conditions. Not only do the performers get a platform to showcase their talent, but others also get the chance to enjoy entertainment put up by others just like them.
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