Ankit Tiwari at Mind Rocks 2016: AR Rahman's Taal inspired me to take up music

Looking sharp in a checked gray suit, Ankit Tiwari's performances closed a spectacular India Today Mind Rocks Youth Summit. Though it had already been several hours-the Summit began at 10 am-the participants still had plenty of energy, if the whistling was anything to go by.

Will you sing with me?' he asked at one point, possibly more to distract than anything; but an instant later, hundreds of young men and women were screaming their approval. Whistles were sounding as well, both plastic and handmade.

WATCH: Ankit Tiwari singing a duet with a fan

Stunned by the sound, Tewari stopped for a moment, looked at the compere, and then cracked a grin. 'You guys sure whistle a lot,' he muttered into the mike, setting off another round. 'Ek cheez batao, is it the girls or the guys who are whistling?' When asked about his inspiration, Ankit said Rahman's Taal album really inspired him to take up music.

WATCH: Full Mind Rocks 2016 session of Ankit Tiwari

There was singing as well; Tiwari performed some of his hits, including Teri Galiyan, Sun Raha Hai Na Tu, and Dil Cheez Tujhe de di, from the film Airlift. The audience took part happily, bellowing out the lyrics while a grinning Tiwari clapped along. And then there was the 'reality show' segment of the performance. Two audience members, a boy and a girl named Manav and Shivani, both took the stage to sing to Tiwari themselves. They both performed parts of Galiyan; and though Shivani had a sweet, gentle voice, the warbling, soulful singing of Manav took the day.

Tiwari also offered a sneak peek of some of his latest work, singing a small fragment from a song that will feature in Tum Bin 2, releasing in November. This is Tiwari's first project as a solo music director/ performer; he will be doing both the music and the background scores for the film.

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