Sonu on song

There could not have been a better way to bring music back to the cultural pandal at the Lucknow Mahotsav at the end of the seven-day mourning for former prime minister VP Singh.

Music and dance come back to the fair

There could not have been a better way to bring music back to the cultural pandal at the Lucknow Mahotsav at the end of the seven-day mourning for former prime minister VP Singh. Versatile that he is, Sonu Niigam presented songs of all hues on the occasion forcing Lucknowites go ga ga.

Justifying his rock-star tag, Sonu8217;s band started off with a number from Rock On. Audience, which was in full strength, immediately connected with the singer who set the stage on fire with his music.

And when he arrived singing 8216;Falak dekhoon, zamin dekhoon8217; from backstage, a thunderous welcome greeted him.

Not willing to let the enthusiasm wane, Sonu presented the Chak De number in his inimitable style.

The actor in him too came to the fore as he used his style and gestures to connect with his fans .

Always ready to reinvent himself, be it with songs or his looks, Sonu was here in sporting a fresh look. The way fans greeted him when he arrived reflected his popularity -which he admitted earlier has only increased after he has added another 8216;i8217; to his surname changing it to 8216;Niigam8217;.

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A household name ever since his stint on television as anchor, Sonu lived up to his fame making the crowd yearn for more after every song. Visibly affected with the Mumbai terror, Sonu appealed to the gathering to ignore politics that divides. Taking a dig at Raj Thackarey, Harayana-born Sonu advised North Indians not to mess with rogue politicians as he sang Rang de basanti chola .

Terming the song from Legends of Bhagat Singh as one of his favourite, he wished people got the meaning of the lyrics right. A veteran with hundreds of songs to his credit, Sonu, who has been singing since the age of 3, interspersed fast numbers, slow songs, ghazals, semi-classical and Indi-pop during his over-an-hour long live concert. Earlier, Shruti, who is in the limelight for her 8216;mar jawan8217; number in Fashion lighted up the stage with 8216;Bidi jalaaye le8217; and 8216;Yeh mera dil8217;.

Proceedings began on a formal note when Neeta Chaudhary, principal secretary Health and Vinod Malhotra, president, Revenue Board lighted the lamp. The evening saw a mesmerising performance of Odissi classical dance by Sonakshi and Aadya Kanitkar. Tabla recital by Arun Bhatt and Bhojpuri singing by Deepak Tripathi also marked the evening.