(From top) Anubhav Mohanty and T. Souri perform at the Utkal University, students capture Odia stars on their cameras and Sabyasachi (right), Babushan (second from left) in the audience. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, April 5: The auditorium of Utkal University was jam-packed with students trying to catch a glimpse of favourite heroes they had admired and worshipped on the big screen. They had all given a cold shoulder to the blazing heat and bid goodbye to textbooks, at least for the day.

Actors Sabyasachi, Babushan and Anubhav Mohanty gave a grand start to the university’s cultural programme, Wave 2012.

Sabyasachi used his smile to charm all the girls in the auditorium. “When I had visited the university a couple of years ago, there were more boys than girls, but looking at the audience today I think the scenario has changed. Boys in the university must be having a great time,” winked Sabyasachi, bringing in loud cheers from the audience.

Babushan, whose recent change in looks has increased his fan following, knew the exact recipe to win over the audience’s heart. He sang a couple of lines of Dheere dheere chal re samaya from the movie Chocolate.

Anubhav Mohanty made a late entry and left quickly. But his 10-minute presence was enough to make the day for his young fans. The audience insisted that the actor sing and after initial hesitation, the actor sang a line or two from Nei ja re megha mate. Lyricist Arun Mantri with his witty shayeri on why boys fear the festival of rakhi won applause.

The afternoon programme was lined with a string of performances from some of Odisha’s leading singers. Manas Pritam, one of the most popular contemporary singers, set the mood with Sadda haq from Rockstar and Saawariya. He then moved on to sing Mu premi mu pagala and Mu je eka pagala bhanwra.

When singer Debasis rendered the famous cult song Rohi sange illish ra bahaghara, the crowd could not help but shake a leg. The already charged atmosphere reached new heights when singer T. Souri sang Sita lo jaluchi jahara chita lo from the Uttam-Aparajita movie Udandi Sita. On the audience’s request the singer rendered Madhabi tu mate karu nikamma and Mita re.

“Because of certain political norms we have not been able to organise a cultural programme for the past two years. So, this time all the students of the university were more than eager to come forward and lend a helping hand,” said the president of the university students’ union, Tanmaya Swain.