Haji Ebrahim in Chor Bazaar is a hotspot for antique LP collectors. It’s also the treasure house that supplied the transistor covering Aamir Khan’s modesty in PK, and where the retro radio set in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer, Raees, were dug out
Packed tight in rows upon rows in an inconspicuous little shop on Chor Bazaar’s foodie street Saifee Jubilee are vintage records collectors trudge far and wide for. A row of vinyl discs dangling at the shop front is the only indicator of what’s in store. Haji Ebrahim record store holds a treasure trove of vinyls that are music to the ears of any lover of Western Classical, Jazz, Opera, retro Pop and old Hindi film music. Bollywood legend Mohammad Rafi and Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas sit side by side. The 1952 classic Baiju Bawra and Western classical works by Amadeus Mozart are equally at ease in the large, unorganised display.
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LPs in Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali also have place here. Proprietor Mohammad Salim Shaikh is your trusty guide to zeroing in on the vinyl you want. He took over the mantle of the shop from his brother, an avid music connoisseur and collector, who opened the shop 50 years ago.
Rare classical, jazz and opera LP picks
“Everything I know, I learned from my brother,” says Shaikh, who has the location of every LP here locked in his brain. Many seasoned Bollywood musicians have scoured through the finds. “OP Nayyar, Mohammad Rafi and Gulzar used to come here to buy records for their private collection,” says Shaikh who has never advertised his wares. “Everyone lands here on word-of-mouth basis,” he adds.
Collectors throng here from various suburbs and also from different parts of the country. “We’ve had buyers from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Karnataka and Kashmir on the hunt for a vinyl of their choice that they couldn’t find anywhere in their neighbourhood.”
The retro radio that will appear in Raees (at the bottom of the pile)
European and American tourists looking for a thoughtful takeaway gift on their visit to India form another chunk of customers. Lately, hipsters have joined the fray, thanks, largely to the explosive comeback of vinyls. “The younger crowd is buying to look cool so they usually ask for Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd and Abba. The more earnest of the lot are buying LP players online and coming here to purchase the records they can’t find on portal,” he reveals. Needless to say, they leave the shop content with their purchase at the end of the search.
Classic Hindi film LPs
Another specialty of the store is the film music LP containing dialogues from the film alongside its music. It’s a trend that is making a comeback, thanks to the makers of recent films like Sultan. “These aren’t for sale; I am quite possessive of them,” says Shaikh.
He scours the nooks and crannies of the country to find rare gems and often puts his nephews to work when he hears of a record available. This ubiquitous record shop is also where the transistor covering a nude Aamir Khan in the posters of PK came from. After the movie’s release in 2014, an online auction house offered the actor Rs 1.5 crore for it. Shaikh had sold it to the set designers for a mere Rs 227.
The store exteriors with LPs
Tell the owner this, and he says, “I had three sets of this transistor. The crew of PK bought two and the third is at home. I’m happy to see my shop’s wares on the big screen. Set designers come here often to source old radios and gramophones for films and television serials. I don’t ask them exactly where they will be showcased, so I am always pleasantly surprised.”
Antique LPs come in original envelopes
Aamir was so attached to the transistor in question, he decided to let go of the auction and keep it for himself, despite requests from co-star Anushka Sharma. Shaikh shows us another old radio set that will be part of Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees. “I don’t know how much its value will be out there, but you can get it here for about Rs 2,500,” he grins.
Time: 11 am-9 pm (Monday to Saturday)
At: Haji Ebrahim record store, opposite Handiwala Masjid, 145 Saifee Jubilee Street, Shop No 7, near Null Bazar
Call: 23466678
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