Kashmir’s ‘Kohinoor’ all set to make waves at Melbourne Fest

Srinagar, September 18: After being honoured by the Asia Book of Records, Kashmir valley’s popular mimicry artiste Raina Ghulam Mohi-ud-din aka ‘Kohinoor’ will display his skills at the upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Australia.

Raina, who is already making waves at the popular TV show ‘Kisme Kitna Hai Dum’, said it was an honour to be selected to perform at an international event.

“Performing at the International  Melbourne Australia Mimicry Comedy Festival is a great honour. The event is being held in March next year and the organisers have confirmed my selection. I have also made it to the final round of the ongoing ‘Kisme Kitna Hai Dum’ – a multi-talent reality TV show,” Raina told The Kashmir Monitor.

Raina, who hails from remote Wussan, Kangan in Ganderbal district and is known as ‘Kohinoor’ among friends, said he could mimic more than 1400 sounds ranging from those of insects to musical instruments.

“I discovered my ability to mimic the sounds of animals when I was in the third grade. As I received positive feedback from people, I began to take mimicry more seriously. Over time, I honed my skills, and now, I can replicate over 1400 distinct sounds, including those of birds, animals, insects, machines and various musical instruments. It was a moment of validation when my talent was acknowledged, and my name was officially recorded in the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records in 2019,” he said.

Raina expressed his ambition to establish a notable presence on the international stage.

“I aspire for global recognition of my talent and to carve out a prominent identity for myself. I am thankful to Allah for giving me an opportunity to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Though I can participate in the event through the online mode, I am hopeful that I will also be able to participate in the event physically,” he emphasized. 

“Though I’ve performed in numerous shows throughout the Valley, being officially recognized in the record books was immensely gratifying. I firmly believe that my efforts will soon earn me a place in the international record books,” he added.