Signature – Britains Got Talent
When a Muslim who performs a Michael Jackson tribute act and a chunky Sikh, carrying a broom, first stepped out in front of the cameras six weeks ago, the viewers were as bemused as the judges on Britain's Got Talent.
What followed could have been an excruciating mix of tastelessness and embarrassment. Instead, what we got was brilliant and hilarious, one of the most un-PC performances ever to feature on British television and a perfect riposte to those who agonise and pontificate over multiculturalism.
Since that day, Signature - the dance duo comprising Suleman Mirza, a 29- year-old trainee lawyer from Essex and 34-year-old Madhu Singh, from Hayes in Middlesex, who works at PC World in Heathrow's Terminal 5 - have become a phenomenon.
Suleman has been imitating Michael Jackson ever since he was a kid, practising his dance moves in class and at home, even wearing out his bedroom carpet. It has been a hobby and semi-career for Suleman and he has performed at many events ranging from corporate do’s to The World Music Awards where he was part of a group of Michael Jackson impersonators. Since 1998 Suleman’s gigs snowballed and he found himself auditioning for an Asian TV show where he met Madhu. They both noticed each other and liked the way that each other moved so they decided to work together. Bringing Madhu’s bhangra and Suleman’s unique style of dancing they were on to a winner.