The Bollywood Spectacular Extravaganza at The Sun City Superbowl, South Africa (24 July 2004)

South Africa's foremost holiday resort Sun City played host to the Bollywood Spectacular Extravaganza on Saturday 24 July 2004.

The entourage included top playback singers Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik with Bollywood superstars Kareena Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, Poonam Bhatia and Sajid Khan.

Kumar Sanu, one of the foremost playback singers in the Film Industry has sung in over 500 films and a total of over 10 000 songs. He has a Guinness book entry for recording an amazing 28 songs in a day - a testament not only to his polished technique, but also to his ability to quickly and effortlessly master unfamiliar material in the studio.

Alka Yagnik, who started her Bollywood career with Mere Angne Mein, steadily climbed the ladder of fame with Ek Do Theen the hit song from Tezaab and from there there was no looking back. Presently she is the top female playback singer of Bollywood and has rendered her voice to almost all the present generation of female actresses on the Bollywood celluloid.

Kareena Kapoor, born to the Kapoor family, was yet another Kapoor who made a huge splash in the film industry. Never in the history of films has a star sibling risen to a status of a mega star in such a short period of time. She signed on Refugee almost immediately after rejecting Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa Pyar Hai as differences between the director and herself led to her walking out of that project. She had a series of films, Yaaden with Hritik Roshan, K3G and Ashoka with Shah Rukh Khan and in 2003 she got a Stardust special award for her performance in Chameli.

She believes in herself strongly and her spunk is what separates her from the rest of the glam brigade and beneath that translucent skin lays a hunger that a truckload of her favourite snicker bars cannot satiate. She brushes aside her famine at the box office and she is confident it will bow to her one day. She has certainly convinced a long line of filmmakers, fat pay packets in hand and now all she needs is one blockbuster.

Poonam Batia has performed more than 200 musical shows in India and abroad whilst Sajid Khan is a we3ll known Indian comedian and Bollywood director who anchors television shows like Ikke Pe Ikka and Sab Kuch Ho Sakta Hai.

Chunky Panday has received huge acclaim as an action Bollywood star and is also the most sought after actor in Bangladesh. He has hosted many television talent contests and he brings his own imitable style to the variety show.

The host for the evening was Sajid Khan and in true comedian style had his first go with the audience immediately upon taking the stage, when he asked them to observe a minute's silence before the commencement of the show, on the death of Mumbai's leading founder member of the film industry. It turned out to be a hoax and a dig at the audience.

Sun City turned out to be fun city as Poonam Bhatia,  took to the stage and with her only performance on stage during this concert, with a series of songs including Bheegey Hoote Pe from Murder and Bin Tere Sanam

After taking a dig at Adnan Sami Khan with reference to his fatness, Sajid Khan introduced Kumar Sanu who belted out his  IIFA nominated song from Humraaz. In a non stop sequence Kumar Sanu sang all his favourites songs.

he choice of songs included Tum Dil ke Dharkan mein rehte ho, Kisse se tum pyar karo, his ever favourite from Ashiquee, Woh Ladki Bahoot Yaad aaite hai, and his song from 1942 A Love Story.

Other songs during his first appearance included Tere Darpe sanam, Pehle pehle baar pyar kissie se hota hai, and his ever favourite from Jurm.

It is interesting to note that if you were part of the audience of the Kumar Sanu Show held at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa last year in May, you would have noticed that there did not seem to be any difference in his performance or his choice of songs since then.

Alka Yagnik took to the stage with a bevy of dancers to the tune of Daya Daya daya re..., Oodni oodke naache, Haila Haila, Tauba tumare hai ishara amongst others.

She was indeed the star of the show belting out all the favourites of the audience which also included film favourites such as Bole Churiya from K3G, Kal Ho Naa Ho and the title track from the popular Hum Tum.

Chunky Pandey and Sajid Khan took to the stage from Alka Yagnik with the same comedy staged at the Bollywood Electric Concert in Durban a year back, having a dig at each other about sex appeal and dancing to ande ke phande, disco dancer etc.

Kareena Kapoor made a glamorous first of two entries onto the stage with a dance sequence and stated that although she was a little unwell however she was happy to come back to South Africa.

It was then time for duets by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik as they commenced with their ever popular song from Haan Maine Bhi Pyar Kiya he, Teri Chunariya, Mera Dil bhi Kitna Pagal hai, Dheere Dheere pyar ko barhane he, Raha ho me tumse mulaquaat hogaye, Bazigar, Pocho zara Pocho, Jo haal hai dilka, and Mai raste mein jaha raha tha.

Other duets included Churake dil mera, Soldier Soldier,  Ladkie badie anjaanie he, thuje na deko tho chain muje aata nahee hai,Kahie pyar na Hojaye and Bole Bale Ladkie.

And that brought down the curtains to a show which was received with mixed reactions. Some members of the audience were disappointed with the choice of Sanu's songs as there was a lack of recent hits which could have easily been included into his performance, whilst others felt that Kareena Kapoor could have performed more dance sequences on stage as many came from far and a wide solely to watch her perform.

Also some of the audience expected Kareena to sing the song  Jab nahee aaye tum from the movie Dev as it was her debut attempt at playback singing.

Undoubtedly,  Alka Yagnik had done justice to her performance giving the audience hits from both old and new films which had the audience raving and chanting for more, but, there still seemed something was amiss at the Bollywood Spectacular Extravaganza and I  really cannot put my finger onto it.

http://www.lenzinfo.org.za/bollywood/bol_bollywood_spectacular_extravagan270704.htm

http://www.indiafm.com/scoop/04/jul/2707kareena/index.shtml

http://www.indiafm.com/memories/04/kareena/index.shtml

(Submitted by: Faizan) 

(07-august-2004)