Gulf Mappilappatu Awards to be distributed on Oct. 31

KK Moidu
The best talents in Mappilappattu (Muslim songs) will be honoured at a stage show "Gulf Mappilappattu Awards 2008", which will be held at Al Nasr Leisure Land Ice Rink, Dubai, on Oct. 31. The winners will be selected through SMS votes by the UAE audiences for the first time in the history of Mappilappattu. The fans of Muslim songs are getting an opportunity to select their favourite artistes, said Basheer Changaramkulam, Jamsheer and Nasser of Time Pass Entertainment, which is one of the organisers of the event. The awards will be given in different categories. The awards will be given to senior male and female singers for their valuable contribution to Mappilappattu. The other categories of the awards include the best lyricist, the best music director, the best male singer, the best female singer, the best male newcomer singer, the best popular song, the best audio album and the best song, said PT Saleem, managing director, Green Advertising and Shamsudheen Nellara, managing director, Nellara Food Products, which are the other organisers. Mappilappattu lovers can select the best senior male and female singers for their total contribution from the top ranking four singers. The male singers are Peer Muhammad, VM Kutty, Moosa Eranjoli and KG Sathar. The leading female singers are Kannoor Zeenath, Vilayil Faseela, Ramla Beegum and Sibila Sadanandhan. The best Mappilappattu lyricists will be selected from OM Karuvarakundu, Bappu Vellipparambu, Kanesh Poonoor and Baker Panoor. The top runners for the music director category are KV Abootty, M Kunhi Moosa, Kozhikode Abu Baker and Joy Vincent. The audience will have a tough time selecting the best male singer from Kannoor Sharif, MA Gafoor, Marcos and Ashraf Payyannoor, and the best female singer from Sindhu Prem Kumar, Rahana and Nazeem, said the organisers. The best newcomer male singer will be selected from four youngsters Afsal, Tajudheen Vadakara, Kollam Shafi and Salim Kodathur. The last date for SMS voting is Oct. 25 and the number is 7782 GM[space]. Businessman BR Shetty and actor-director Cochin Haneefa will grace the occasion as chief guests of the programme. The show will start at 7pm. Tickets are available at selected outlets in the UAE.