'I'll do a full Kannada show'

It was an evening that Sonu Nigam fans were eagerly waiting for. The popular singer’s full-fledged concert in the City saw long queues, overflowing parking lots and major traffic jams outside the venue as a large number of people rushed in to catch their favourite star live. Scheduled to start at 6.30 pm, an announcement at 7 pm saying, “The show is going to take 20 more minutes” left the crowd groaning in disappointment. Meanwhile, an audio visual on Sonu with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Lata Mangeshkar speaking about the singer was displayed.

As colourful fire crackers made their way into the sky, Sonu’s band took the stage and performed Rock On and Socha Hai from the film Rock On. Singer Gunjan entertained the crowds for a bit with her rendition of popular numbers like Yeh Ishq Hai, Dance Pe Chance, Desi Girl and Beedi Jalaile.

“If you have belts on your seats, fasten them hard,” adviced the host of the event, who later proved to be right. Sonu rendered a beautiful alaap and sang a few lines from Kal Ho Na Ho from the backstage before taking the spotlight.

He went on to sing other popular numbers like Falak Dekhun, Chak De, Dil Dooba, Tu Jahan Main Wahan, Ab Mujhe Raat Din, Suraj Hua Madham to name a few. Praising the Kannada music industry, the singer said, “Many people ask me, why do I sing Kannada songs? I tell them, you make nice songs, I will sing. And Kannadigas make very good music.”

Considering himself to be lucky to have many hit numbers, he rendered some of his more recent numbers like Soniyo from Raaz — The Mystery Continues and Don’t Say Alvida from Main Aur Mrs Khanna. “I am so lucky to be in such a beautiful profession, and do what I love and even get paid for it,” he added.

The singer even demonstrated how a song is composed. “First the lyrics are written, then a tune is composed, instruments are added and the singers come in later,” he said. Sonu asked the members of the audience to name a few vegetables and composed a song with the lyrics, Aloo Bhindi Gajar Matar Paneer. He even sang the song in the styles of composers Nadeem Shravan, Anu Malik and Himesh Reshammiya.

Later, the singer sang his Kannada hits like Neene Bari Neene, Ninnindale, Mungaru Male and Anisuthida Yaako Indu. He promised, “I will do a full Kannada show the next time I come here.”

Be it Kannada songs, or Bollywood numbers, old Hindi classics like Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawano Ka, Kajra Mohabbat Wala, Aaja Aaja and Mere Sapnon Ki Rani; the singer mesmerised the audience with his talent and even interacted beautifully with one and all.
When Sonu performed Blue’s song Chiggy Wiggy, he sang Kylie Minogue’s part in a female voice. He even paid a commendable tribute to the King of Pop Michael Jackson by singing MJ’s hit Billie Jean, which was coupled with a moonwalk. “Let’s celebrate his life,” he said. Sonu ended the show with his beautiful rendition of Kal Ho Na Ho and left every one asking for more.