A sad and gripping news has gripped the entertainment industry as renowned Kerala singer Nisar Wayanad, who was known for his voice resembling Bollywood playback singer Udit Narayan, died passed away in Dubai on Saturday, just hours before he was scheduled to perform at a musical event in Ajman. He was 44.
Nisar, whose real name was Nissar Aroth Ibrahim, was a native of Kambalakkad in Kerala’s Wayanad district. He had travelled to the UAE for a series of musical programmes and was scheduled to perform at several events.
According to his friends, Nisar had been suffering from a high fever for the past few days. His condition worsened on Saturday, and he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai in the afternoon. However, doctors could not save him.
The death notification reportedly listed acidosis as the direct cause of death, while systemic inflammatory response syndrome of infectious origin with organ failure was recorded as the leading cause. Septicaemia was listed as the underlying cause.
Nisar was known among Malayali audiences for his performances of Mappilapattu, a traditional folk music genre from Kerala. His voice closely resembled that of Udit Narayan, which made him particularly popular during stage shows.
He performed Bollywood songs as well as songs by singers including Arijit Singh and Atif Aslam. He had also performed at several programmes across the UAE, including Indian Independence Day and Onam celebrations.
His sudden death came as a shock to his family, friends and the Malayali community in the UAE. Around 300 people reportedly attended his janazah prayer following his death.
Nisar had been active in the Mappilapattu and stage-show circuit for nearly two decades. He had performed at hundreds of programmes and had also worked as a playback singer.
He had lent his voice to a Kannada film and the Malayalam movie Professor Dinkanalthough the latter was never released. He was also expected to be part of upcoming musical and playback projects.
Nisar’s mortal remains were repatriated to Kerala for his final rites. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.