He is one of the most imitated announcers even today. His style of addressing the crowd with "Behno aur Bhaiyo" is still treated as an announcement with a melodious touch. He has produced, compered (or spoken for) over 54,000 radio programmes and 19,000 spots/ jingles since 1951.He achieved fame and popularity all across South Asia when he presented his Binaca Geetmala program of the First ever Hindi film Songs countdown hits over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon.
He was born on 21st Dec 1932 in a family deeply involved with India’s Independence Movement.His eminent college, ST. XAVIER’S (Bombay) nourished his talent in the performing arts – and turned him into a keen student with a romantic touch of endless optimism.His elder brother Hamid Sayani introduced him to All-India Radio, Bombay, where he participated in English programmes for ten years.
It was a Wednesday from the summer of 1952, and a newly independent India heard, rapt in awe, a deep baritone with a touch of melody from Radio Ceylone. It joked with its audiences, teased them, gave interesting trivia, interviewed celebrities and punctuated it all with “filmi sangeet”, the kind that was taboo in most households of the time.
What began as a 30-minute programme turned into a rage in 1952 and continued for almost half a decade. First it was called Binaca Geetmala, then Hit Parade and finally Cibaca Geetmala which was how it was known for the longest time.
He was India's leading voice.He compered over 2000 stage functions of all sorts in India, including musical variety shows, beauty contests, fashion shows, award functions, film silver jubilee functions, an International Film Festival closing session (in Delhi), concerts, seminars, workshops, and trade presentations. Has also compered stage shows abroad – in the USA, Canada, UK, South Africa, UAE, Holland and the West Indies.
He was conferred the Padma Shri award in 2009.
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