A melodious meet
MALATHI RANGARAJAN
|
Mohammed Aslam presented a grand show of old Hindi film hits recently.
|
Photo: S.R.Raghunathan
IMPRESSIVE CHOICE OF NUMBERS: Mohammad Aslam's `Nostalgia.'
It was a mammoth affair. One which diehard fans of Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar ought not to have missed. Mohammed Aslam, of `Rang De Basanti' and the Tamil film `Love Today' fame (to name a couple) eloquently ushered in an enduring extravaganza of the melodies of the titans. Named `Nostalgia,' the show, presented by Mayura Cine Tel - The Chennai Music, with Mohammed Aslam, at the Kamarajar Hall, Chennai, had an imposing 40-piece orchestra with Raguraj Chakravarthi at the helm, as conductor. And the audience drank in every moment with joy and wistfulness.
A commendable array of violins, a range of percussion, a couple of keyboards, trumpet, sax, flute and the like, came up with worthy support. Be it Shankar Jaikishen's `Sasuraal,' or `Suraj,' you just had to close your eyes and it was as though you had been transported to the Rafi world of musical magic. So impeccable was the presentation.
Aslam breezed through R. D. Burman's refrains such as `Sanam Teri Kasam' and Burman Senior's `Meri Sapnon Ki ... ' with ease. His continually smiling demeanour was an added advantage. And when he crooned `Badal Me Sitare ... ' you almost saw Shammi Kapoor's frenzied movements in the background.
Aslam's improvisations, even in the Kishore Kumar style of yodelling, were thoroughly enjoyable. So were the paan-chewing `Don,' the memorable `Abhimaan' and the mesmerising `Tajmahal.' Expectedly came `Rang De Basanti's `Lose Control' number. Also there was the immortal Mukesh whom you heard in the philosophical `Jeena Yahaan' strain (`Mera Naam Joker').
Cheerful all the way
Kalyani and Ramya were the female voices. The mikes played truant at times and that probably was the reason for a few notes sounding off-key. Even when the minus one track seemed to go awry for a moment Aslam didn't lose his cool. He took all the gadgetry faux pas lightly. It was Raguraj Chakravarthy who looked tense whenever there was an unwarranted echo from the sound system.
The deference with which Aslam spoke of the kings of music went down well with the discerning gathering. And that leads you to the rapport he shared with the crowd. Joking, laughing, talking, interacting and mimicking, the singer kept the mood of the audience upbeat throughout.
Taking a hall of people along with you even as you sing a variety of numbers is not an easy task. Aslam achieved it with ιlan.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
