A concert of romantic melodies
From left: The late Srivedi and right, Ifran Khan. PHOTO| ALLAUDIN QURESHI
What you need to know:
- Rahat’s show began with an unforgettable and creative tribute to his mentor and uncle; the mighty Ustad Nusrat Fathe Ali Khan.
- It was followed by an awesome showing of vocal and musical versatility as the one and only Rahat warmed up the evening with a repertoire of evergreen Bollywood melodies.
Thousands of Nairobi’s music lovers and ardent fans of Bollywood melodies and soulful qawalis braved the cold weather last weekend to pitch camp at Diamond Plaza 2 Concert Hall.
They were warmly received by the legendary Rahat Fathe Ali Khan and his merry musicians, who were on a return visit to provide musical happiness. What followed was an intense music session filled with charming lyrics, a captivating voice and melodies that transported them to romantic heavens.
Rahat’s show began with an unforgettable and creative tribute to his mentor and uncle; the mighty Ustad Nusrat Fathe Ali Khan. It was followed by an awesome showing of vocal and musical versatility as the one and only Rahat warmed up the evening with a repertoire of evergreen Bollywood melodies.
The mesmerising singer made the audience melt over and over again. He had a minor cold and could not help sneeze and clear his nose intermittently, but that could not dampen his voice or spirit to deliver a concert of a lifetime.
The second half of the concert was a spellbinding display of sumptuous qawalis. The maestro’s voice souring through the themes and variations painted the Sufi vocal tradition, which induces a state of rapture in both the performer and the listener alike.
Thank-you Ranee Productions and congratulations for once again bringing on to our stage the splendors of heavenly showings.
We move from the towering Diamond Plaza 2 concert to the serene Siam Niramit Theatre in Bangkok Thailand. At the IIFA 2018 Awards Ceremony, Rahat’s hit rendition EH MERE RASHQE QAMAR was the winner of Best lyrics of the Year award.
Bollywood fans and radio listeners, who stayed indoors during the cold weekend, were also warmed by the news of what was happening at the IIFA ceremony. East Fm’s Vikash Pattni, Riya Sharma and Edward were at the Bangkok venue spearheading live broadcasts of the event. It was gratifying to note that some out of ordinary performances and creative artistic work in the world of Indian screen entertainment was recognised and facilitated.
Sridev,i the screen goddess who died tragically last February in Dubai, was posthumously awarded the Best Actress for her off-beat movie MOM. The facilitations for the Best Actor and Best Director were voted from the film HINDI MEDIUM for Irfan Khan and Saket Chaudhary respectively. Arijit Singh and Meghna Mishra bagged trophies for the Best Male and Female singers. Picture of the Year is TUMHARI SULU. The prestigious ceremony was hosted by producer director Karan Johar and actor Riteish Deshmukh. We understand there was a breathtaking stage performance by yesteryears queen of hearts Rekha.
Fans that missed the opportunity of getting radio updates can look forward to seeing the ceremony early next month in the comfort of their homes on the small screen courtesy of our cable television providers.
