Apurv Shukla – 
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 Matwaala Re’ and earned his first Filmfare 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.
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.
Photo :
- Amit Kumar and Neha Sinha singing ‘Bhigi Bhigi Raaton Mein’ at the musical show in Auckland on February 27
- Amit Kumar and Guncha Singh sharing the stage
- Neha Sinha singing ‘Agar Tum Na Hote’
(Picture by Narendra and Sai Bedekar)
