Music director Ismail Darbar poses with actress Aaimi Baruah at the inauguration of the shopping carnival at Chandmari. Picture by Eastern Projections

Oct. 25: Yaalgaar ho!

With these two famous words, ace Bollywood director Ismail Darbar arrived in the city and said he felt he was “home”.

“My relation with Assam goes back to 2005 when Debojit Saha became my disciple for the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa contest. And today, when I landed here, it was like arriving home,” Darbar said after inaugurating a shopping carnival at the Assam Engineering Institute playground this evening.

“Assam has become my second home. I could see it in the eyes of the people as soon as I landed at the airport”

Darbar said he has so much faith in the people of Assam that had he appealed to them for Amanaat Ali in the just-concluded contest, the singer from Pakistan would have easily won.

“Koi hum ko hara nahi sakta thaa agar Assam mera saath hota (no one could have defeated my disciple had Assam voted for Amanaat),” he said. “I did not made such a call to the people of Assam because all the three finalists in the last show were singers with equal potential.”

Thanking Leo Advertising, organisers of the International Expo 2007, for giving him the opportunity to mingle with the people of his “home”, the popular music director said: “The people of Assam have a great sense of music.”

A large crowd had gathered at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport this afternoon to welcome Darbar. Armed with gamochas and bouquets, the crowd greeted Darbar and welcomed the man who “had a big contribution in making a son of the soil — Debojit Saha — famous”.

Apart from Darbar, the inaugural ceremony was attended by actress Moloya Gowami, her actress daughter Nishita, actress Aaimi Baruah, music director Bhupen Uzir, sport organiser Suren Ram Phukan and Indian Idol finalist Amit Paul.

The 14-day expo will have “Shopping Bhi Masti Bhi” as the theme “to make shopping a unique experience”, a press statement said. Besides other events, the expo will feature cultural shows.

The winner of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa International Challenge, 2007, Anik Dhar, will perform on October 31.