Indian Newslink Digital Edition Mar 15, 2016

Apurv Shukla
apurv1shukla1@yahoo.com
The versatile and evergreen
Hindi film singer
Amit Kumar regaled an
appreciative audience
at Logan Campbell Centre in
Auckland on February 27, 2016.
The show,appropriately named
‘Bade Acche Lagte Hain’(derived
from the title of Amit’s first
major Hindi film song) started
later than schedule but and
took fans through a wonderful
musical journey for almost four
hours.
Amit began the show with
‘Bade Acche Lagte Hain’ from the
film ‘Balika Badhu.’
This set the mood for the show
at which he gave evidence of
why he has been a successful
singer and performer for more
than four decades. He mixed
singing his own numbers with
those of his legendary father
Kishore Kumar.
Together the catalogue of their
songs is a music lover’s delight
and the evening proved just that.
Multilingual Singer
Born to Kishore Kumar and
Bengali singer Ruma Guha, Amit
has sung more than 400 songs
in seven languages. He made his
debut as a singer and as a child
actor when he was 11 years old
in his father’s movie ‘Door Ka
Rahi.’
He recorded ‘Main Panchi
March 15, 2016 ENTERTAINMENTLINK
31
Amit and others lift music to another level
Amit Kumar and Neha Sinha singing ‘Bhigi Bhigi Raaton Mein’ at the musical show in
Auckland on February 27
Matwaala Re’ and earned his
first Film fare Award for the
‘Love Story,’ a highly successful
movie released in 1981.
This was Amit Kumar’s third
show in Auckland. His fist performance
here was in 2010 (at
the same venue) and returned
in the following year for a show
with Asha Bhosle (held at Trusts
Stadium in Henderson).
The golden years
In this age of technology
driven music; Amit’s show was a
throwback to the golden years of
Hindi music. He performed with
a 10-man live band (many of
who have performed across the
globe with his father and have
been with Amit for many years).
He kept the audiences engaged
by sharing anecdotes from most
of the songs that he rendered
over the years.
From recounting the highly
apprehensive moments of music
director RD Burman before
recording ‘Yaad Aa Rahi Hai
(Love Story, which later became
a massive hit)or expressing his
awe over his father lying on a
cot performing live in front of
thousands at Brabourne Stadium
Mumbai, Amit kept the audience
in rapt attention.
Kishore Kumar was one the
finest and most popular singers
of the Hindi film industry.
Whether it was a moment of joy
or sorrow, love or friendship
Kishore’s voice give each song
a musical expression. Listening
to the songs of the super singer
through his son was an interesting
and rare experience.
Neha Sinha
The show had brilliant co-performers,
the most impressive of
who was Neha Sinha, a young
singer with mellifluous voice.
Neha Sinha singing ‘Agar Tum Na Hote’
She rendered five songs, each
of which proved that she is a
seasoned singer with talent so
good that it transcends time and
people.
Her two numbers with Amit
justified our earlier comment
that passion and humility are
two attributes that elevate talent
and foster the quality of music.
‘Bhigi Bhigi Raaton Mein’
(Ajnabee) ‘Kora Kagaz Tha Ye
Man Mera’ (Aradhana) that she
rendered with Amit brought
back memories of the late
Sachin Dev Burman, his son
Rahul Dev Burman and Rajesh
Khanna (on who both songs
were picturised).
‘Agar Tum Na Hote,’ a title
song from the film of same name
brought wide applause, while
the song ‘Kahe Dun Tumhe Ya
Chup Rahun’ (Dewar) that she
sung with Makarand Patankar
revived the scene featuring
Sashi Kapoor and his real life
nephew’s (Rishi Kapoor) wife
Neetu Singh.
For most people who were in
their teens or twenties in 1972
would hum ‘Jawani Diwani’
songs which were composed by
R D Burman. The most popular
song of the blockbuster was
‘Jaane Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha,’
picturised on Randhir Kapoor
and Jaya Bhaduri (now Bachchan)
to the mesmerising voices
of Kishore Kumar and Asha
Bhosle. Neha and Gopal Bhatia
brought life to that song, which
would have appeased Amit, who
has also rendered this song with
Asha on several occasions.
In introducing her in our
February 1, 2016 issue, we had
said, “Neha is an accomplished
singer and her performance
would be a delight to the ears
and a solace to the soul, for she
is adept in rendering traditional,
classical, folk and film music
with equal poise and prowess.”
She did not disappoint any of
us.
Family-friendly event
Guncha Singh, another
accomplished singer based in
Auckland, added value to the
programme.
It was a wonderful and well
oragnised family-friendly event
enjoyed by everyone.
The show proved that
Auckland has a knowledgeable
and appreciative crowd when it
comes to live Hindi music shows.
And most of all it showed yet
again that melody is timeless.
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