For over four decades, his voice has enthralled not just India, but the entire world with hundreds of hit songs. Sonu Nigam enchanted Kolkata on February 9, when he took centre stage at Aquatica. Bengal Web Solution and Whitelight Creations Pvt. Ltd. came together to organise the live concert The Timeless Sonu, with My Kolkata as digital media partner
“Kahan, kahan tak log dikh rahe hai, kya baat hai. (I can see people till very far back) Thank you for coming!” said a smiling Sonu before taking audiences on a musical tour of his most-loved hits. The singer exhibited his range from the very start. He began his set with the soulful Kahani, before turning up the tempo with Aisa Pehli Baar Hua Hai.
Sonu won hearts not just with his voice, but also his love for his fans. When he spotted a crowd blocking the view of the guests sitting in the rows behind, he promptly stopped the show, requesting them to sit on the floor or return to their seats — a moment that was widely shared on social media. “I want everyone to equally enjoy the show,” he said, beaming, as the crowd cheered
Thousands of phones came out to record the moment when he crooned the opening lines of his iconic indie pop number from 1999, Deewana Tera. When the audience crooned the song’s final verse, Sonu quipped in chaste Bengali, “Ki bhalo!” Seeing the impact his Bengali had on the crowd, Sonu smiled, “The Bengalis in my team insisted that I must do at least one Bengali song in Kolkata,” before singing the opening notes of Bolo Piya
“Saath mein gaana hai (Want to sing along)?” he asked midway and when the crowd responded with a resounding, ‘Yes!’, Sonu kicked off a duet to the popular, You Are My Soniya.
The energy of the show escalated to a different level when Sonu began the dance numbers. Midway through performing his hit song, Bijuriya Bijuriya, the suit came off, as he started belting out suave moves to loud cheers, even acing Michael Jackson’s moonwalk! Watching his energy light up the stage at Aquatica, one would not guess that the singer was in the news recently for performing through severe back pain. Sonu showed up for his Kolkata fans and kept them cheering and grooving to the tunes
Two hours of non-stop music ended on just as soulful a note as it had started, with a medley of Kal Ho Naa Ho and Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin. Acknowledging the audience’s standing ovation with a namaskar, Sonu signed off with a special message for the city and its people. “Main hamesha Kolkata ek special izzat leke aata hun, kyuki pura Bengal ek kala ka khazana hai. Yahan ki audience hamesha sur mein gaati hai.” (I always come to Kolkata with a special respect in my heart, because all of Bengal is a treasure trove of talent and art. The audience here is always in tune.)
