JOIN USWhen singers pick up gems from the past and dress up like the actors themselves to enact these songs, it is a double delight for the audience.
This was the highlight of the 4th edition of ‘Surat-e-Kitaab’, a musical night dedicated to Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar presented by Crazy Minds Entertainment.
Titled ‘Do panchhi do tinke’, the programme had the music loving audience cheering and demanding for encores after every song. Every song had meticulously planned costumes and props for an added visual appeal.
‘Surat-e-Kitaab’ is a platform to encourage new talent and all of the 21 singers who performed were non-professional singers. But this didn’t stop them from putting up a stellar show. When Ashoka Kunjur and Deepthi Rao sang ‘Ajhun Na Aye Balma’ (from the movie ‘Sanjh Aur Sawera’) they were rewarded with a resounding applause and had to sing the song once more on audience demand.
The organisers themselves sang an impromptu number, much to the delight of the audience.
“We had good attendance for the event and around 25% of the audience comprised of youngsters,” says Chetan Mamtora, one of the organisers and the founder of Crazy Minds Entertainment. “People enjoyed the performances more as we did not pick the common songs of the musical duo. We wanted to draw attention to some of their unheard masterpieces which are rarely rendered.”
The first edition of ‘Surat-e-Kitaab’ was started as an experimental event to encourage new talent. Due to the phenomenal response it received, the organisers were obligated to continue with the event. The theme of this year’s edition was selected to honour the huge fan following that Rafi and Kumar commanded.
“They are absolute legends and even though they died early, their immortal voices will keep them alive in our hearts at least for the next 500 years,” says Chetan.
“If you look at any musical events or reality shows, the songs of this duo are always a favourite among both participants and the crowd. There is also an eternal debate about which one among them was better but between them, there was no professional jealousy, only a very deep friendship. After every event, this debate gets re-ignited but I don’t think we will ever be qualified enough to judge them.”
An overwhelmed audience agreed wholeheartedly.