The man behind the foot-tapping music of superhit films like Paglu and Poran Jaye Jolia Re, Jeet Gannguli, was in AJ Block last week for the Vijaya Sammelani of Ward 29.
The event was hosted by civic chairperson and local councillor Krishna Chakraborty.
“I play Jeet Gannguli’s songs all the time in my auto, so today I came to watch him live,” said Dilip Nag, an auto driver on the Ultadanga-Karunamoyee route. He had parked his auto outside AJ Park, and he and his family sat inside, watching the show munching on the laddoos and nimkis that the organisers had served to welcome guests.
Gannguli sang hit after hit, some in Hindi but mostly in Bengali. “Hello Calcutta! It’s always special to perform in this city. The love and affection you show touches my heart,” said Gannguli, who resides in Mumbai. Doyel Goswami, his co-singer for the evening, sang songs like Sathi Bhalobasha from Gannguli’s film Mon Mane Na.
Five-year-old Riju Das was confused about the performer. “I thought Jeet was an actor; can he sing too?” he asked his mother Sonali Das of AG Block. His mother explained that Jeet the actor and Jeet the composer were distinct. “This is Jeet Gannguli. He’s composed the Paglu song,” she said, as the child broke into a knowing smile.
Tania Chakrabarty, an off-duty sub-inspector, was having a ball screaming: 100% love when Gannguli asked the audience to repeat after him. “I couldn’t resist,” she said, catching her breath. “This is an awesome experience for me! I always listen to Jeet Gannguli’s songs. They act as a stress buster for me,” said Chakrabarty, singing along with her four-year-old son Antariksha.
Jeet called kids on stage and had them dance to Dhaker taal, as they requested. He also sang Jinku nakur, Krishna karle lila, Ki kore toke bolbo as well as the song’s Hindi version Suno na sangemarmar.
If Sapna Jaiswal felt his Hindi songs were more melodious, Sumitra Baghi, who lives in a garage next to the park, preferred the Bengali ones. “I enjoy his Bengali hits more as I can understand the lyrics,” she said.
Sumitra had completed her chores early that day and was overjoyed to be watching him live. “His songs from the film I love You are my favourites,” she said.
The evening had begun with Avishikta Ghosh, a primary schoolgirl and resident of the ward, singing Mamo chitte. “I am singing from the age of five years and I practised long hours before performing today,” smiled the child.
Singer Piloo Bhattacharya also sang numbers like Radha madhob, Hoito tomar e jonno and songs from his Puja album. “Just like the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have been banned to cleanse our economy, let us pray to Ma Jagaddhatri to ban all evils from our society,” he said.
Shatadipa Bhattacharya
Inputs from Sounak Sarkar
