To the heady mix of sun, sand and surf was added another ‘s’ last weekend — students. The occasion was the “biggest ever” college festival — the Channel [V] Nokia India Fest — held in Goa on February 4 and 5. Thousands of college-goers from across the country, including from Calcutta, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Jaipur, descended on the beautiful Cavelossim Beach on the two days to compete in events like street plays, dance, fashion shows and movie-making. While some got busy showing off their skills at Launchpad (rock band competition), Footloose and Beat It (dance events), Kahani Poori Filmi Hai (Bollywood quiz), Fresh Face (talent hunt), Director’s Cut and Blitzkrieg (treasure hunt), others dived into the water, lazed on the beach, hit the shacks or tried out all kinds of water sports just outside the venue. Chandreyee Chatterjee of t2 was there to witness Youngistan in action.

t2 caught up with Mohit Chauhan in the green room right after he wooed the young crowd with Dooba dooba, Boondein, Yeh dooriyan and Masakali.

Mohit Chauhan, the “voice of romance” in Bollywood… what do you feel about that?

I don’t know about that really. I have sung some romantic numbers but I have also been singing different kinds of songs. I just want to be able to sing some very interesting and different kinds of songs and if romance is part of them, I am happy.

You started your show with Silk Route songs. Do you miss being part of the band?

I was part of Silk Route for five-six years and now we are not playing together, we are busy doing our solo albums. Last year I released my solo album. Right now I am working on a new one. But if the band comes together sometime in the future it will be nice to play with them.

What can Mohit Chauhan fans look forward to in the coming days?

I am doing some very interesting film songs... I won’t like to tell you what film or any other detail but they are really good songs — of different kinds. Plus, my new album will be out in the next four months.

What is your next album about?

I have been composing songs and I have selected eight or 10 tracks from that, which will be my expression to my listeners. My songs are about love, longing, travel and life in general.

Students made a beeline for [V]olcano, the main stage at the venue, right after sundown and grooved to Bolly, trance, rock and funk. There was Shaa’ir and Func, Indus Creed, Mohit Chauhan, Jalebee Cartel, psychedelic trance DJ act Skazi and trance music by Shpongle	Stylize, the fashion show competition, at the Beach Stage in Cavelossim
Calcutta-based hard rock band Cynical Recess sang their way to the third place at Launchpad in the Channel [V] Nokia India Fest	St Xavier’s College Calcutta student Jagyasini Biswas (right) takes time off to pose with her friends from the Institute of Engineering and Management, Salt Lake, before facing the judges for Director’s Cut. The group entered the contest with a film they shot on the beaches of Goa the day before with Jagyasini in the lead
This group of students made sure they grabbed attention right from the moment they entered the Channel [V] Nokia India Fest, donning identical bright yellow T-shirts and marching to the beats of the drum	Competitions over, the students headed for some fun. Parasailing turned out to be the most popular with the girls. The boys, of course, watched!