Despite heavy downpours, the show at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabah’s Diwali Utsav attracted thousands who were well-entertained by Indian singers, Gunjam Singh and Jeffrey Iqbal when the event was hosted on Saturday evening at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
The rain interrupted proceedings just as Singh was performing her last song for the evening. This saw attendees including President Donald Ramotar, former president Bharrat Jagdeo and Culture, Youth and Sport Minster, Dr Frank Anthony scampering for cover.
The rain started with a drizzle, followed by heavy downpours. Soon after the heavens closed, most of the audience would have left, but those who stayed witness a breathtaking performance from Iqbal.
The show started with local talents, Sookrane Boodhoo, Mona and Rekha Singh, who evidently put the patrons in the right mood, as some were seen dancing and cheering as the singers belted out their renditions. As normal, they performed to the satisfaction of the audience and were backed up by talented musicians from Mumbai and Guyana.
There were also some breathtaking performances by the Sabah’s Dharmic Nritya Sangh dancers. In colourful costumes, they delivered as expected. The dances were well choreographed with the young ladies moving gracefully on stage during their presentations.
After about an hour of local acts, Gunjam Singh was introduced to the audience, and received a resounding welcome. Known for her versatility, the renowned singer serenaded her fans to the fullest.
Engaging
She started off with the less saucy hits but increased the tempo, causing everyone to clap and cheer. As she performed, she sought the services of young dancers from the audience to join her on stage, but they were too shy, and decided to dance to the tunes on the ground, and did so to perfection.
Among the tunes she sang were “Bindiya Chamke Gi”, “Noorie”, “Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar”, Aaj Phir Jeene Ke”, and also some of her original songs, including “Kinna Sohna”, “Kawan”, “Nachle” and “Naiyon Dil Lagda”.
She also sang a few requested selections, including “Bonita Oh My Darling” and others. Singh then turned up the heat with some of the more saucy renditions which definitely added some spice to the evening as even the president and his colleagues were tapping their feet and clapping lustily after every song performed by Singh.
Decked in a pair of jeans and a pink and black long sleeve jersey, Iqbal made his appearance on stage to the delight of those who remained after the rain.
With his melodious and spirited voice, he engaged the audience to the maximum.
He dished out some of his tunes including “Dil Ki Zarurat”, “Nayee Zameen”, “Tu Mere Dil”, “Rabaru” and others. The U.S.-born singer performed to perfection and received overwhelming support from his fans who screamed and chanted his name as he performed.
His performance was complemented with the dancers of the Dharmic Nritya Sangh. Singh and Iqbal also performed several duets together, which sent the crowd into frenzy. Their coming together was definitely a bonus for the patrons who braved the weather to be a part of the action.
Despite the rains, the night ended on a high note with some excellent performances by the two international artistes as well as the local talents.
The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa singer will be at the Diwali Motorcades in Berbice, where he is expected to visit the site of the shelter being built for the less-fortunate children.
