Jai Ho show..

It was a magical evening for music lovers from different parts of the country who converged at the Corporation Stadium at Kozhikode yesterday for A.R.Rahman’s Jai Ho show. While the event was an unforgettable one for the exuberant crowd, it still had its flaws which somehow dampened the spirits of the capacity crowd. This show had its positives and negatives.

 I got inside the stadium with my friends by about 4PM for the show slated to start at 7PM. The scorching sun and the summer heat beat down on us while we were seated in the uppermost tier of the gallery (ticket cost 500Rs). The crowd kept pouring in and by about 6:10PM, the gallery was almost full. As the sun’s ferocity started to subside, the spirits began to soar among the expectant crowd.

 This was the first time I had gone for any such programme in a big stadium. When I watched cricket and other programmes from different stadiums around the world on my television, I have always wondered how the atmosphere would be. I found myself immersed in the midst of a noisy crowd chanting Jai Ho and the build up had begun.

 Suddenly, the waves started. Mexican waves swept from one side of the gallery to the other, catching us all in its wild beauty. Waves after waves splashed around the capacity crowd chanting Jai Ho. I was happy that I was on the gallery, among the noise, chants and the wave, rather than among the upper class enclosures.  As the clock ticked away, we became more vociferous and the Jai Ho chant became all the more vigorous. At last, the programme started at around 7:30PM.

 And what a start it was...The orchestra started out with strand from Slum dog Millionaire. We were at the edge of our seats in anticipation. Suddenly, the lights on the stage revolved to bring the maestro on to the stage standing on steps...There he was, Rahman with his trademark smile and shy posture..

 I was deafened by the thunderous applause that erupted around the stadium. I joined the chorus and screamed at the top of my voice, JAI HO....Rahman started off with Oh Siaya and we were caught on to his magical music instantly.

Then Sadhana Sargam came on to the stage, and when Hariharan came with his trade mark singing style, he got a warm welcome. The other singer who got total crowd support was our very own Chithra. With these two brilliant singers on stage, the expectations ran even higher. Sadly, they colluded in a duet only once. I felt that the Rahman team missed quality singers who could connect with the crowd. We had a singer(or is he a guitarist?) from UK singing Kabhi Kabhi Aditi from Jane Tu Ya Jane Na.I don’t understand why Rahman had to opt for such a listless singer to ruin such a wonderful song. Sadly, that singer got on the nerves of the crowd and the booing started.

 There were too many performances by not so good singers and the orchestra failed to lived up to the promise every now and then. Yes, Shivamani’s absence showed...

 Two things that disappointed me the most about the show were:

 1: Poor audio system: Really, the audio system was not even average. The orchestra was too loud and except for Hariharan, no other singer could be heard even decently enough over the noisy orchestra.

2: Totally indifferent song selection: Sadly, most of the first half consisted of songs which could be rated as average, by Rahman’s high standards. In fact, throughout the programme, Rahman’s group seemed strangely reluctant to sing Tamil numbers. They even had Chitra rendering the smash hit Kannalane from Bombay in Malayalam (I was waiting for this number right from the time she came on stage). This was a huge let down for the Kozhikodan fans.

 Then Rahman came on stage with his harmonium and suddenly we were watching a gazal or shayari mehfil kind of performance. He rendered two excruciatingly slow numbers including Khwaja mere Kwaja. Even I got disappointed with this. We had not gone there to listen to such sleepy numbers.

 During the intermission, we had some of the politicians and ministers from Kerala on stage. Many of us could not take any more and some of the crowd actually left at this point. The only highlight during this totally repulsive intermission was Rahman giving away the aid to the AIDS affected children.

 By the time Chithra came on stage after the break, the mood among the corwd was very very negative. The show was then rescued by the performer par excellence, Hariharan. He called Rahman on stage and then had the crowd involved in a musical class. Really, Hariharan knows well how to get the crowd going and Rahman owes much to him for rescuing the show.

 From here on, there was no looking back. The build up to the climax was exquisite with Rahman belting out his trade mark numbers. This included Mustafa Mustafa, Orvasi Orvasi, Taxi Taxi and Hamma Hamma from Bombay. Even I jumped around in the gallery, the crowd on their feet dancing to the super hit tunes...Did I mention Pappu Can’t Dance? This ultimate dance number drove us wild and the stadium rocked. In fact the crowd joined in on the singing starting with Mustafa and we had a splendid time.

 The finale was Jai Ho followed by Vende Mataram, with fireworks lighting up the sky, providing the perfect back drop to the grand finale.

 All in all, the show in itself was not up to the expectations. Still we had a pretty good time and I am thankful for the opportunity to see these legends performing right in front of me. I wish Rahman could have been a little bit more judicious in selecting the songs and the singers. Surely, singers like Shankar Mahadevan, Sukhwinder Singh, Unnikrishnan, Sujata, Asha Bhonsle etc could have made all the difference. I just feel that the maestro took too much for granted. This show would have been perfect for an audience in a foreign country, or even to a North Indian crowd. But for us Mallus, who loved Rahman through his smash hit Tamil numbers, the show was just not good enough.

 Having said so, will I go for the show if it were to be held at Kozhikode again?

 I would say, yes. To watch the legendary composer and his team and to be among the wonderful crowd in the gallery, dancing and singing along in one voice, with one mind..

 Jai Ho.....