When four hours whoosh past you without you realising it, you know the performance you have just witnessed is brilliant. That’s what happened on Friday night at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium when Sonu Nigam was on stage. Having slightly changed the format of the show this time, the singer seemed to be in a naughty mood as he took digs on India’s demonetisation and kept a packed stadium engaged until 1am in the morning.
From the four shows that I’ve had the chance to hear the singer perform, this happened to be his best performance. He dipped into his cache of songs to bring some he’s not sung before while others such as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin and Mujh Mein Kahin have been the audience’s favourite requests at every show.
Neha Sargam set the tone for the evening, belting out some peppy numbers. The small screen actress and Indian Idol 2009 participant got the crowd going with the romantic Aapki Nazaron Ne Samjha (Anpadh) and the foot-tapping Daiya (Caravan) and Hawa Hawaii (Mr India) before the star of the evening stepped onto the stage at around 9.45pm.
Apologising for his tardiness — this is the first time he’s been late by a few minutes for a show organised by Oberoi ME — citing traffic, he launched into a fast-paced medley that included several of his hits including Crazy For You, Deewana Main Hoon Tera Deewana, Yeh Dil Deewana, Maria Maria, Dil Dooba and Satrangi Re. And just as quickly he changed gears with Aye Chand Teri Chandni Ki Kasam, Ishq Bina Kya Marna Yaaran, Dheere Jalna, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, and Dard from the Aishwarya Rai Bachchan film Sarbjit.
“This is the first I’m singing [Dard] in Dubai and I’ve sung it only at a couple of other shows. I can just keep singing it,” Nigam told the crowd, getting them to sing along. “It’s not just great to listen to good singers and musicians on stage but it’s the good fortune of the singer when he has such [an] ‘in-tune’ audience. Today there’s a connect between us because it’s not just that you like my songs but also the songs that are my favourites. That’s what makes the show memorable.”
Nigam then paid tribute to the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, doing covers of her songs including Raina Beeti Jaye, Mo Se Chhal Kiye Jaye and Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai.
“This is the first time I’m singing a tribute to Lataji. Her song Ruke Ruke Se Kadam always makes me cry and Yaara Seeli is a cult [classic]. Not many can boast of Lataji sending WhatsApp messages to them, and that too jokes,” said the Indian National Award-winning singer. He also did a Helen [yesteryear dancer and actress] — style dance with Aa Jaane Jaan sung by Mangeshkar, as the crowd erupted into loud cheers at his antics.
No show of Nigam’s is complete without his father Agam Kumar Nigam singing a few oldies and he also introduced another singer to Dubai, Canadian Natalie Di Luccio. Di Luccio performed Pehla Nasha and Ek Do Teen Char before Nigam returned to stage to join her for Dum Maro Dum, mimicking her voice. They then performed Zoobi Doobi — or Scooby Doo as they called it — together.
The last two sections of his show comprised his own favourite songs that he said were “blessings” for him and a request hour where he obliged his fans with their favourite numbers.
He sang hits such as Suraj Hua Madham — which had a solo violin prelude by the only female member of his orchestra, Shruti Bhave — Saathiya, Tanhai, Kill Dil and Bijuria.
“You may not know I’ve sung as many songs in Kannada as I’ve sung in Hindi,” said the singer, obliging fans with a few lines of his hits in other Indian languages. He also rendered a full song in a female voice.
Pehli Baar Baliye, Mujhe Raat Din and Sandese Aate Hai rounded off the evening.
“For me Sandese is not just a song about patriotism but also a prayer for those on the borders to return home, on both sides. For me an ideal world would be where you need no armies,” he said. He ended the evening with the soulful Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin from Agneepath and remembered his mother and his National Award-winning project Kal Ho Naa Ho.
