Long Read
A Full-House musical event creates a new benchmark for entertainment
Venkat Raman
Auckland, July 14, 2024
Almost 750 people went home on the night of July 6, 2024 after witnessing ‘Kapoors: A Tribute to the Kapoor Family,’ a musical show held at the Sky Theatre with a single thought: New Zealand has a wealth of talent.
That thought is now cascading into the belief that entertainment programmes that are local or national can replace the celebrity variety which has all the trappings and prevarications. Given the demands (often unjustified and unfair) that many visiting celebrities and artists make before, during and after their performances, watching shows such as ‘Kapoors: A Tribute to the Kapoor Family’ should inspire commercial organisations and philanthropists to sponsor and encourage such shows that involve local performers.
The show under review, conceived and presented by Arif Zia through his Creation Group New Zealand with the patronage of a host of sponsors was a delight. It explored and exposed the singing and performing talent of instrumentalists, singers and dancers, all to the expected and appreciated global standards.
(Photo Supplied by Viraf Todywalla)
Non-Stop Music and Dance
For almost three hours non-stop, the programme, ‘Kapoors: A Tribute to Kapoors Family,’ organised by the Creation Group (led by Arif Zia) with a unique combination of singers, an orchestra of veterans and performers of V4U Entertainments headed by Viraf Todywalla, is being hailed as the Best Show thus far, taking everyone into a make-believe world of love, music and of course goodwill.
Stutie Junoo Sharma has an innate ability to set the right note for audience participation and enthusiasm. As the Master of Ceremonies, she lifted the evening’s spirit even before the first song was rendered. The event began with the Midas touch.
While Arif himself proved that he could render the voice of Mohammed Rafi (and a few others) with poise and confidence, his team stood up to the challenge of 26 songs that went like clockwork in a recording studio. The team comprised Geeta Sangamnerkar, Joseph Jose, Kapil Bhagat, Pritha Chakraborty, Ravi Shetty, Renuka Deshpande, Rushikesh Ahinave, Varun Bhagat and Viraj Maki. They packed into their songs the voices of almost all the popular singers from 1950s to the latest in the Hindi film industry.
The Orchestra, featuring stalwarts Anthony Yempee, Everard Fernandes, Hemant Thaker, Joscel Alexander, Joseph Alexander, Mihir Patel, Navneel Prasad, Ravi Prakash and Tomomi Johnston on various instruments, brought the effect of original soundtracks of the songs rendered at the programme. Guests to the Indian Newslink Business Awards would know that Everard, Hemant, Joscel and Joseph have been performing at our annual event since the launch of the programme 15 years ago, in the name of ‘Gurus of Groove,’ and that their high-levels of integrity and professionalism are worth celebrating.
Tomomi, a New Zealander of Japanese origin, is a professional Clarinet and Saxophone artist. She proved that language is no barrier as she kept pace with the high and soft pitches of Hindi music set by the Orchestra.
The Kapoor Tradition
Music has always formed the heart of the films of the three brothers Raj, Shammi and Shashi and each of them participated in all the music sessions, including the sittings with lyricists, and music composers, training the singers, recording and re-recording.
Raj Kapoor would be present at all recording and re-recording sessions of songs in all his films, whether produced by him under the RK banner or by others.
During an interview, he said, “In our country, our whole existence, our lifestyle and our cultural fabric are wedded to music. Our life, our birth, is wedded to music. Our death is wedded to a lament, which is also music. Our rituals, our Gods, our Goddesses, our festivals, our harvesting, everything is music, music, music. Where words fail, it is music that conveys much more than all the words put together.”
Although he patronised Shankar Jaikishan in many of his films, Raj worked with other composers of the time such as Naushad Ali, O P Nayyar, Ravi, Roshan, Laxmikant Pyarelal and R D Burman. Mukesh Chand Mathur was his voice (which he said was lost when Mukesh died) but there have been others (Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey for example) who have also been behind his lip movements. The fact that songs recorded in his films, from Neel Kamal in 1947 to Ram Teri Ganga Maili are heard even today is a testament to the quality of the songs in all respects- from the lyrics to the compositions and renditions.
In her tribute, Anuradha Warrier, a journalist, writer and author, said, “Raj Kapoor left this world on the 2nd of June 1988. Just a few weeks before his demise, he had been awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the country’s highest honour in cinema. And somewhere up there, he has reunited with his soul, Mukesh, and the rest of his group, whom he vowed lent life to the music in his films – Shailendra, Jaikishan, Shankar, Hasrat Jaipuri, Manna Dey and they are all up there making music once again. Or perhaps, he is here, laughing at the idea that as long as films continue to be made on this earth, he would go anywhere else.”
‘Kapoors: A Tribute to the Kapoor Family’
Arif Zia decided to commence his show with today’s hero of the Raj Kapoor family- Ranbir Kapoor, with ‘Jab Se Tere Naina,’ a song from Saawariya, which catapulted him to fame. Rendered by Varun Bhagat, it instantly brought the audience to call for an encore, to which Arif replied, “Not once more, but one more.”
Kavinesh and Pritha Chakraborty presented ‘You are my Sonia,’ (picturised on Kareena Kapoor in Khabi Khushi Khabie Ghum). Dancers Freya Irani, Jehangir Homavazir and Jehan Rustomji from V4U Entertainments joined them to provide the visual boost. We understand that Viraf Todywalla held several training sessions to prepare his team for the show.
His dancers Nishi Ranathunga, Malisha Ghosh, and Akshita Shetty were competent accompaniments to Renuka Deshpande who presented ‘Le Gai Le Gai’ (from Dil To Pagal Hai picturised on Karishma Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan).
Rajiv Kapoor was the star of the song ‘Yaara O Yaara’ (from Ram Teri Ganga Maili with Mandakini) rendered by Rushikesh Ahinave and Renuka.
Bobby, released in 1973, was a trendsetter in the Indian film industry with its ‘Teenager Romance Mode.’ The film brought Rishi Kapoor, the third generation Kapoor to the fore, while his elder brother Randhir had already made a mark. ‘Mein Shayar to Nahi,’ picturised on Rishi Kapoor and Aruna Irani found a great singer in Kapil Bhagat, who brought the memories of Shailendra Singh who had performed the song for Laxmikant Pyarelal.
Joseph moved up to the fast-paced ‘Ye Jawani Hai Diwani’ and the lilting ‘Jaane Ja Dhoondta Phir Raha’ (both from Jawani Diwani filmed on Randhir Kapoor and Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan) the latter with Pritha.
The memories of Shashi Kapoor came to the stage as Ravi Shetty performed ‘Ek Rasta Hai Zindagi’ (from Kaala Patthar picturised on Shashi Kapoor).
The veritable combination of O P Nayyar and Shammi Kapoor was the highlight of ‘Hai Duniya Usi Ki (from Kashmir Ki Kali) and ‘Tumne Mujhe Dekha’ (Shammi Kapoor in Teesri Manzil tuned by RD Burman) performed by Arif did ‘absolute justice’ to Mohammed Rafi.
The Kapoor Twist
‘The Kapoor with the Twist’ was a fast and fun round featuring V4U artists Pratha Aggarwal, Natallia Ramanchuk, Shriya Sharma and Viraf Todywalla. They danced to a medley of songs presented by Arif and Pritha, followed by ‘Kapoors Theme Music’ with a special appearance by Miss Auckland 2024 Inge Carolus as Ballerina and Malcolm Variava.
The next flow of songs was reminiscent of the era of melody, including ‘Deewana Hua Badal’ (from Kashmir Ki Kali picturised on Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore) rendered by Arif and Pritha; and ‘Ansoo Bhari Hai Ye’ and ‘Jeen Yahan Marna Yahan’ (Raj Kapoor in Parvarish and Mera Naam Joker) performed by Viraj.
Among the other notables were ‘Sochenge Thumse Pyar’ (Rishi Kapoor in Deewana) which made Kumar Sanu famous, presented by Rushikesh, ‘Yamma Yamma’ (Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan in Shaan) rendered by Varun and Arif (with well-timed and choreographed dances of V4U Entertainments artists Vaishnavi Manatkar, Mrun Godbole, and Shreya Dole), ‘Samne Ye Kaun Aya’ (Jawani Diwani with Randhir Kapoor and Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan)and ‘Om Shanti Om’ (from Karz on Rishi Kapoor) sung by Joseph and ‘Ek Mein Aur Ek Tu’ (Khel Khel Mein with Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh) by Joseph and Renuka.
‘Ramaiya Vastavaiya’ from Shree 420 became an all-time favourite with the voices of Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar with music composed by Shankar Jaikishan. Arif, Viraj and Renuka brought back memories of the Raj Kapoor starrer.
‘An Evening in Paris’ (title song) and ‘Badan Pe Sitaare’ (Prince) performed by Mohammed Rafi for Shankar Jaikishan took the films to box office success. The song glittered more with the dances of Friyan Irani, Fereshteh Irani, Freya Irani, Jehangir Homavazir, Jehan Rustomji, and Jehann Daruwalla choreographed specially for the event by Viraf Todywalla. Arif is undoubtedly one of the singers in New Zealand.
‘Rang Jamake’ (from Naseeb with Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Hema Malini, Kim and Reena Roy) sung by Kapil, Ravie, Rushikesh, Arif, Geeta, Pritha Renuka was a fitting finale for an impressive programme.
Shammi Kapoor, another legend
Like his brother, Shammi Kapoor (born Shamsher Raj Kapoor) placed great emphasis on song sequences and acted with almost all leading stars of his decades. Most music directors of his era including Naushad, Roshan, Ravi, O P Nayyar, Shankar Jaikishan and R D Burman have scored songs which are lilting even today. There was a certain finesse in the melodies of the 1950s through to 1970s which were responsible for the success of movies at the box office.
From Jeewan Jyoti in 1953 to Rockstar in 2011, Shammi Kapoor worked in more than 100 films, with varying degrees of success.
After the success of songs in Dil Deke Dekho (the title track from the film in 1959) and China Town (in 1962 with Baar Baar Dekho and Dekhoji Ek Baala Jogi), he started choreographing his song sequences, the most notable among them being Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Pagla Kahin Ka, Prince and Brahmachari.
Shammi Kapoor was in every type of music – Ramba, Samba, Western Classical, Gypsy Music and Jazz. His loose-limbed grace and innate sense of rhythm shaking every canon of dance that Hindi films had hitherto seen on screen became his obsession.
Shashi Kapoor: Versatility personified
Born Balbir Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor was a versatile actor whose acting talent impressed international filmmakers such as Merchant Ivory. The songs picturised on him became hits- the films include Waqt, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Kanyadaan, Sharmeelee, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Chor Machaye Shor, Kabhi Kabhie and Namak Halaal.
