Babla & Kanchan
Encyclopedia
Babla & Kanchan were an India
n husband-wife musical group best known for work in the chutney music
and Desi
music genres. They performed together for forty years until Kanchan died in 2004. Originating from Mumbai
, India
, their music is well known through the world, especially in countries like Canada
, United States
, Trinidad
, Guyana
, Holland, Mauritius
, Suriname
and England
.
Babla also happens to be the younger brother of famous music director Kalyanji Anandji
.
After appearing in the films Rafoo Chakkar, Dharamatma, and Qurbani, Kanchan joined her husband and began performing and touring. Their engagements abroad (live shows and orchestra music) kept them away from the Indian (Bombay) Film music. They were popular in Caribbean countries, where they covered soca music
hits like "Hot Hot Hot" and revived older hits of chutney singer Sundar Popo
. Albums like Kuch Gadbad Hai sold well because of touring support.
Kanchan's other albums like Kaise Bani were popular with the Bhojpuri audience. Her fame led to endorsement deals for brands like Johnson & Johnson
.
Classics or Sundar Popo
from Trinidad. Her producer and manager was filmmaker Rohit Jagessar.
Kanchan & Babla have two children, Nisha and Vaibhav Shah. Nisha has been touring with her
mother since birth and has made her appearance in both Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana recently
much to local satisfaction. Vaibhav is the drummer on TV show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil' Champs.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n husband-wife musical group best known for work in the chutney music
Chutney music
Chutney music is a form indigenous to the southern Caribbean, originating in Trinidad. It derives elements from traditional Indian music and popular Trinidadian Soca music.-History:...
and Desi
Desi
Desi or Deshi refers to the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora. Desi countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...
music genres. They performed together for forty years until Kanchan died in 2004. Originating from Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, their music is well known through the world, especially in countries like Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Holland, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Babla also happens to be the younger brother of famous music director Kalyanji Anandji
Kalyanji Anandji
Kalyanji Anandji is a name used by Indian composer duo known for its work on Hindi film soundtracks, particularly action potboilers in the 1970s. The name comes from first names of the two Gujarati brothers that formed the duo, Kalyanji Virji Shah and Anandji Virji Shah...
.
After appearing in the films Rafoo Chakkar, Dharamatma, and Qurbani, Kanchan joined her husband and began performing and touring. Their engagements abroad (live shows and orchestra music) kept them away from the Indian (Bombay) Film music. They were popular in Caribbean countries, where they covered soca music
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
hits like "Hot Hot Hot" and revived older hits of chutney singer Sundar Popo
Sundar Popo
Sundar Popo was a Chutney musician from Trinidad and Tobago. He popularised Chutney music, beginning with his 1970 hit Nana and Nani.-Biography:...
. Albums like Kuch Gadbad Hai sold well because of touring support.
Kanchan's other albums like Kaise Bani were popular with the Bhojpuri audience. Her fame led to endorsement deals for brands like Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
.
Songs
Many songs Kanchan sang were remakes of older songs from West Indian Locals, SocaSoca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
Classics or Sundar Popo
Sundar Popo
Sundar Popo was a Chutney musician from Trinidad and Tobago. He popularised Chutney music, beginning with his 1970 hit Nana and Nani.-Biography:...
from Trinidad. Her producer and manager was filmmaker Rohit Jagessar.
- Kaise Bani (Originally from Sundar PopoSundar PopoSundar Popo was a Chutney musician from Trinidad and Tobago. He popularised Chutney music, beginning with his 1970 hit Nana and Nani.-Biography:...
) - Chaadar Bechaow (Sundar Popo)
- Benji Darling (Neisha Benjamin)
- Ai Ai O (Buss Up Shot)
- Kuch Garbar Hai (Hot Hot Hot)
- Tiny Winy (Tiny Winy Soca)
- Kuch Kuch Baby (Rock it)
- Hum Na Jaibe (Sundar Popo)
Family
Kanchan & Babla have two children, Nisha and Vaibhav Shah. Nisha has been touring with her
mother since birth and has made her appearance in both Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana recently
much to local satisfaction. Vaibhav is the drummer on TV show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil' Champs.