NIHIRA N HRISHI Spore-Photos on 3rd page - Page 2

How I wish I was in Singapore?

Thanks for the update sgmplover

Thank you all for reading.

Thanks for the update sgmplover....
Keep up the good job.

Hi sgmplover,

Thanks for writing such a nice, straightforward update. It sounded like a very enjoyable and pleasant performance - It must have been really great meeting Nihira and her family. Her mother is always so calm looking. I really admire her a lot. When Nihira comes to the US, I hope the performances will be similar to this one.

Waiting to see your pictures... thanks again
Vinaya.

Thanks Vinaya, I will post the pictures tomorrow. The Song selection was really good.. It was actually a typical marathi Baavgeet program but it was special on saturday because of Nihira and Hrishikesh. All songs were perfect and no gadbad at all. Public enjoyed a lot and lots of clapping and lots of once more. Finally Mr. Damle said, since we have to finish program fast I request please do not ask for more now. To respect your request, this is the last once more 😆

Thanks a lot Narumugaye !

quoting Asuthosh here from : Nihira & Hrishikesh in Singapore - Apr 30

Originally posted by: narumugaye

"Roz shaam aati hai, magar aisi na thi..."

That in essence sums up an enchanting evening of melodies presented by Nihira Joshi and Hrishikesh Ranade to a very privileged audience in Singapore on April 30, 2006. Neither singer needs introduction. Nihira was peerless in Zee TV's recently concluded Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005 contest and if not for the abominable politicking and crass commercialism that plagued the show, she would have won it by miles. Hrishikesh, fortunately, was a beneficiary of the excellent judging standards set in the previous editions of the musical talent hunt contest and had gained international recognition by winning the World Series mega-finals. The presence of these two exceptionally talented singers before a sizeable crowd 4000 km away from Mumbai proves that genuine talent cannot be masked by behind-the-scenes shenanigans of TV producers or the Machiavellian tactics of 'mentors'. The surge of support and boisterous reception that they received after every number was truly a gratifying sight, especially to connoisseurs of good music. As the compere (who was unjustifiably heckled post-intermission by some raucous members of the audience – but more on that later) remarked, in an age where rhythm is king, one needs melody to placate the mind that is often in a perpetual state of anxious excitement. And evenings like these are indeed ideal panacea for such woes.

To compare the singers would be unfair. Hrishikesh often reminds me of Rahul Dravid, the Indian cricket captain and stalwart of the Indian team – perfect wristwork ('chord'-work in the case of Hrishikesh), always reliable, unflappable at all times, but perhaps a tad lacking in aggression (as evidenced in his rather meager tally of sixes). With Dravid on the crease, we can be assured of a good result but not necessarily an elevating experience. Hrishikesh was like that – hitting all the right notes but just a tad under-powered (Soulsoup-ji attributes this to his undeniably scrawny build – a subject of a separate discussion thread perhaps). Even in the so-called josheela songs, the enthusiasm in his singing was unmistakable yet I felt a distinct lack of horsepower, like a Ferrari on an off-day at the F1 racecourse. This is not a complaint – more of an "only-if" thought.

Nihira, at the risk of stretching the analogy, is a veritable Tendulkar on form (and what do you know, hails from the same state too). Sizzling every moment on the crease, getting everyone on their feet, thrilling one and all with sublime artistry, but ever the reserved, airs-free, mild-mannered yet consummate professional. True to the nickname we have fondly given her on this forum, Blue Diamond, she stepped out delicately on stage wearing a turquoise top and a pleasant pink skirt. The air crackled as notes so delicate, so exquisite, so finely polished as the Kohinoor, wafted from the stage and reverberated throughout the hall, embracing one and all in its divinity. From her Challenge 2005 favourites, Roz Shaam Aati Hai, Hare Rama Hare Krishna medley, Kajra Re (duet with Hrishikesh) to the brilliantly rendered classical track Mose Chhal Kiye (from The Guide), serene Aao Na (with Hrishikesh), the heart-thumping Nach Baliye (with Hrishikesh), and several more, Nihira wove a magical web of supreme virtuosity, unmatched versatility and sophisticated artistry. Those in this forum and elsewhere who claim Nihira is one-trick pony ought to, and I mean really ought to, get an ear transplant, because we don't know what you are hearing.

To many, the payback of a concert is when the artistes connect with the audience. Such moments were abundant throughout the evening. Be it that lovely, almost beatific, smile Nihira flashed at us, or the cute remarks about how much Hrishikesh loves his wife, Nihira's hold over the audience was complete.

With the oldies and the melody-lovers appeased, it was time to sate the restless youth. Thankfully, the singers opted for predominantly Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's melodies that have just the right mix of melody and rhythm. Both singers loosened up considerably post-intermission (which, owing to the painfully long queues for refreshments, stretched to almost 40 minutes) and had the audience eating out of their hands most of the time. Unfortunately this half of the show also exposed some shockingly rude members of the audience, who heckled the compere, Sanjay Damle, to the extent he decided to end the compering for the rest of the show. As sgmplover observedduring the Marathi show on Apr 29, the compering was indeed of a very high standard. Rarely have I attended a show marshaled by such a knowledgeable compere. Not only were we privy to several interesting tidbits about the songs and music directors, but were also treated to creative shaayaris. However, to the SMS generation (I do not claim to know who the recalcitrants were, but from what I could gather, they sounded like young punks), for whom anything more than four lines is a lecture (hat tip to Rang De Basanti), all this must have been quite an earful. While the compere might have stretched their patience just a wee bit on a couple of occasions, their clamouring for his removal was nothing short of an affront. Self-respecting individual that he is, he dignifiedly stepped back, but not without some well-couched choice words for the rabble-rousers.

That blemish apart, the evening ended on a high note with a high-energy (yes, even Hrishikesh seemed to be charged up by Nihira's histrionics) rendition of Nach Baliye, which like a couple of numbers before that attracted encore calls. The band did a good job throughout and the sound guys were thoroughly competent, though limited by the average acoustics of the auditorium. The refreshments could have been better organized (that could perhaps have led to the restive audience reactions to the compere – wrong person to redirect your irritation, but hey, who's being logical here anyway), and the stage could have been more creatively lit (this aspect if anything brought out the immense role technical aspects play in elevating a show to a magical experience like the Shreya Ghoshal concert). Such minor shortcomings notwithstanding, the show was a tremendous success. We went away humming into the night, and Nihira and Hrishikesh returned to Mumbai, content in having enthralled the audience for a straight three hours and their confidence given a wonderful fillip for forthcoming shows around the world. And Singapore, after hosting two supremely gifted singers over two weekends, can claim to be the arena in Asia for any budding artiste to blossom and gain international recognition.

Shaam to roz aati hai, magar aisi nahin…how true! ONCE MORE, I say!

PS. My apologies for not having any pics. Usually videography and photography are not permitted at concerts here. As it turned out, it was a rather homely affair, so anything went. Those who were there and took pics/video, do upload!

PPS. My apologies also to those Hrishi fans who may find my review skewed towards Nihira. Can't help it - I had not watched the World Series so I am far less familiar with him than Nihira. But you would agree she deserves all the accolades one can think of. Rest assured, Hrishi was excellent!

Thanks for the pics, sgmplover and narumugaye. sgmplover, how do you know my name? 😕

Hrishikesh was like that – hitting all the right notes but just a tad under-powered (Soulsoup-ji attributes this to his undeniably scrawny build – a subject of a separate discussion thread perhaps).

Now I have to be careful on what I tell you during breakfast 😆 😆