RSM Musical Nite

On Friday we had the RSM Musical Nite which was to be held in March but had got cancelled because of an accidental fire occuring the same day. There was a mix of inhouse NCL singers (one of them being me!) and professional ones who came along with the orchestra that had been hired. Since all the promised practice sessions had already taken place in February one extra sitting was kept about an hour before the show started. After the rehersal I was one nervous girl unsure of being able to pull off my song Yeh mera dil... from the film Don.

Fearing the worst I anyway went to change for the evening. When I returned after putting on a flashy pink t-shirt, styling my hair, wearing a silver bracelet and using the eyeliner, I meet Ankur (one of the student secretaries) who then asks me seriously "Tuhina, don't you want to go and freshen up?" What a morale booster that was!!!

The show finally started at 6.45pm in the imposing NCL auditorium. I saw from the wings that all my labmates on my insistence were sitting in front right in the third row. I was feeling relaxed having been told that I was seventh in the queue of performances. While the third song was being sung I was teasing Nazrul that he'll be the first amongst us NCL singers to perform. And then the compere came in the green room.

I am informed that I have to sing in place of Chand sifaarish... which was the 4th number in the list first made.

The song Dard-e-dil from the movie Karz ends. The compere goes back on stage and tells the NCL audience that the next singer is one of then and so they must cheer her up. Nothing wrong with saying that. But then he adds... "Can you guess her name?"

"Oh my God!!" is what all that comes to my mind. There are only a handful of people in NCL other than my ten labmates who know me. I am not a star who's name someone would shout. And nobody did. Thankfully they didn't take anyone else's name either.

Embarrased I took the mic from him. But one look at my labmates who were cheering and clapping for me and it just put me at ease. I felt so cool there that I nearly forgot to start singing!! But once I began I didn't stop till I finished. It wasn't the perfect rendition. I just managed to pull off the high note of the last line of the first stanza. The second stanza was definitely better. Unlike last year I wasn't feeling nervous at all. Seeing my labmates continously root for me and Ideh blowing whistles, made me actually laugh while singing. Later on Lalitha disclosed that in truth both she and Saikat were feeling nervous for me and were having second thoughts of doing all this as it might distract me. Which it did but in a good way. :)

After my five minutes of limelight ended I went and joined my labmates. Now was my turn to act like the NCL audience. I had so much fun being in that role. The professional singers were just too good. Not only did they have wonderful voices they were enjoying every moment of their performances and were interacting really well with the junta. Ideh became the highlight with her non-stop loud whistles and I must make a mention none of the guys could even match forget about beating her skills.

One of our NCL singers Rajendra actually created history when he was made to sing "once more". Dekha jo tujhe yaar... from the film Apna Sapna Money Money was an instant hit with all on us. It had everyone coming on the floor and dancing.

In all it was a memorable evening. I haven't had such fultoo mazaa in many days.

And now I am looking forward to dandiya. :p