Sakhi - Amrita TV

Almost two weeks back right after my Ghazal concert I received a call from Mrs. Bindu asking me if I would like to be a part of her show 'Sakhi' which is telecasted in Amrita TV. Apparently the show was stopped for a period of time and they are planning to revive the show back on charts on public demands! I was pretty surprised cos I didn't know what I really have to share with the audience as such. I mean I have absolutely nothing to brag about!! But I very politely obliged to her request and the interview was scheduled for 30th morning. I woke up at around seven and got dressed waiting for their cab which was supposed to reach at my house by nine. And..Eventually I ended up there at 9:30. Usually dad accompanies me to all my shoots and stuff but since he's just back from his nose surgery two days back I took mom along. After reaching there we were asked to be seated inside, I think a waiting room or something like that. I was rehearsing my lines *giggle*... as in... How I should thank the channel at the end of the show and I should refer to the interviewer as 'chechi'. I was signalled to the makeup room where I got to meet Bindu mam, the producer of Sakhi and the interviewer Mrs. Geeta. Instead of introducing myself I was worried about the lines I had rehearsed and made up. Cos in that I referred to the interviewer as chechi and now I need to make a correction by calling her aunty. Daaaam! All calculations gone hay wire!!! Geeta aunty was big time pissed about her hair cos she had spoiled it by straightening it and apparently a lot of her fans had criticised her for it and warned that they would stop watching the show if she continued with that look. A happy day at work for the hair stylist I guess!

Once we were on the sets I just loosened out and Geeta aunty was asking me to tell something about myself to her cos she had absolutely no clue about me ! Interesting... cos that's exactly what I wondered when Bindu mam had given me a call two weeks earlier. The interview commenced and I totally went blank about those silly lines I had rehearsed. As usual I was in for a toss!.. But Geeta aunty made me feel really comfortable and I just went on blabbering on camera!! She made me sing 2 keerthanams, a ghazal, a devotional song, gopike nin viral, snehithane , mayya mayya and An empty street (Westlife)!!! It was sooo much fun and when it came to an end she was totally surprised cos she had never in her wildest dreams also thought that she would actually cross the time limit for a episode...Aaah..So is the magic of me :) :) Wotever....Will post about the telecast dates and hopefully will get a copy of my episode... Ciao!

Secretariat members family get together

I need to be whacked left and right at least 3 times ... if anyone is willing to do so please do inform me .. cos I will oblige.... I am so dumb!!! I had actually got a call from my friend Vinil, an ace drummer in Trivandrum who said he wanted to call me for a show in Trissur sometime around the first week of April. That is when I got a call from Sangeeth who started the conversation with 'Hi! is this Neha? I am Sangeeth..The Superstar one?' Obviously he meant the Amrita Superstar Global Season One winner Sangeeth!!... He met me and spoke about the show details along with his friend Ramesh.. Everything went great and Ramesh used to keep calling and updating me about the songs I have to sing etc etc. The show is scheduled for the 2nd of April. I was simultaneously "studying" for my exams and for the show... Yesterday we had one practice session is a small hall..
Everything except Mayya Mayya was unplugged... and I was loving it totally..After the practice session Ramesh said that he would holding one more session today and would let me know. I was all prepared since morning for his call today but he ended up calling only around 5:59 asking me to report to the Central Stadium at 7:00 pm. I put on a cotton kurta and just rushed to the Stadium even without my earrings. When I reached there..There was so much of hustle and bustle that I was confused about where the rehearsals were going to be held. After a short while Ramesh reached and was looking pretty surprised at my extremely simply way of dressing and asked me what's wrong with me...when I asked him what's happening in this place and where r we supposed to rehearsal.. He asked me if I was in my senses.. And told me that I would be going live on stage in half an hour !!!!!!!! The only surprising part is that I did not faint on the spot.. Caught an auto.. rushed home.. wore some dazzling clothes ..whitewashed my face in no time.. and I was out of my house.. in exactly 09:00 minutes!! After reaching the Stadium yet again Vinil started mocking me .. and I obviously became red with embarrassment.. But the rest of them never had time to mock me ..so we said our prayers and went onto stage..Commenced with Jai Ho! then Bharat Humko... after that I sang Tere Bina with William and Mayya Mayya with manodharma male portion done by Sangeeth..I sang Adiyae kolluthe and Aapki Nazaron ne samjha unplugged. Great audience! great response!! An awesome team to work with !! Yackson was amazing on the keyboard, Vinil on the drums.. But Vishnu stole the thunder with his individual flute piece in every song.. Other singers who sang were Arun, Suraj (Amrita Superstar Global season2), Raajeshwari(Spicy India- Asianet plus)..One helluva experience!! Will never ever forget this show ever.. for the dumbest things I commit..but like they say.. This is the spice in life

Call the shots!!

Not even a week left for exams and I have finally been compulsive enough to open my books! As I was "studying" the 10 stages in the Development of Musical Stages I just happened to come across this line belonging to the 7th stage which says '...the names of the Janaka ragas are masculine and those of the minor ragas are feminine'. I just wanted to highlight the disparity between women and men at those times which are visible through this example wherein masculine names were assigned to the parent ragas and the sub ragas were given names of more feminine touch. Aah.. Rule of the roost!

Video of the Ghazal Sandhya

I have uploaded the Ghazal Video in my Video blog... Vodcast .. click HERE.

Snaps of the Ghazal Sandhya

With Soorya Krishnamurthy , first from the right.. :D To view more pics pls click HERE. Also will be uploading the songs quite soon .. so keep watching this space :)

Snap of the Ghazal Sandhya in Manorama

A picture of me performing ghazals which came in Manorama today.

I was pretty tensed since the day Shankarji of Habitat Technologies had suggested my name for giving a ghazal concert. But I got anxious and excited when I heard that Soorya Krishnamurthy sir would be inaugurating the function. It's such a great thing to have such a humble person coming to inaugurate an amateur's performance. Before I left for the concert I called up my gurus, Ramesh sir and Khalid sir in Muscat and took their blessings as they are the ones who have groomed me as a singer. Half an hour before the show Soorya sir gave me call.. I got nervous thinking he must be calling to say he wouldn't be able to make it for the show. But undeterred I picked his call and much to my surprise he actually called me to wish me good luck as he would be reaching only by seven because of which he may not be able to wish me before my performance. Apparently due to some confusion he was under the misconception that I would start performing before his arrival to the venue. I was confused too and instead of rectifying the situation I silently took his blessings and left for the concert.

On last minute materialization shamiana was arranged as a roof for the listeners as the rains were unpredictable today. I was asked to say a few words on Ghazals and what all songs I was going to perform today on camera for Manorama News. I am extremely camera shy and like doing stuff behind the camera.. Like being a journalist, a playback singer, a radio jockey :D

Soorya Krishmoorthy sir arrived and everyone stood up as a posture of respect to this personality ...I was in all smiles as I got to light the lamp after him :) These are those moments when one feels elated and God really has to knock you down...Initial speeches began and after the comperer was done introducing me and my accompanying artists I commenced with Om Namah Shiva, a bhajan..After which I sang Man Mohana and then started with the ghazal Apni aankhon ke samundar mein. Also sang salona saaz sajan, Koi samjhayiye, Tumhare khat mein, Khali hai tere bina, Dil cheez kya hai. It was totally fun and definitely an experience to perform in the Poojapura grounds.

While I was singing a young man in shorts pulled up a chair next to Soorya sir's seat and sat on it. He looked extremely young and didn't look like a person who enjoys ghazals. But never judge a book by its cover... Anyways ...towards the ending of my concert this person scribbled something over a small chit and came up on stage and handed it over to me. I was taken aback as I did not expect any farmayish on my very first stage. One of his farmayish was In aankhon ke masti mein. But the organizers asked me to end the concert with a final song and I had to oblige. But I felt bad for that youngster as he was the only person who must have found me that professional to actually request his choice :D... I was looking out for him after my concert was over but he was gone by then. I wanted to apologize and thank him for making me feel special on my very first experience here. If he is by any chance reading my blog ..I am Sorry!! :)

I would take this opportunity to thank architect Shankarji for taking in special efforts to introduce a struggling singer like me into this musical world. Also I would like to thank Soorya sir for finding time out of his busy schedule just to watch my performance. My special thanks to Satheesh uncle on the tabla and Hamsa uncle on the harmonium without whose support I would be like a bird in the sky without wings! Satheesh uncle had a solo tabla concert the previous day but ignoring all that he did find time to rehearse with me thrice. If it wasn't for my present Hindustani guru Shri Ramesh Narayan, I would have never known Satheesh uncle nor would I be able to practice in front of Ramesh sir. When Ramesh sir asked me to keep one session at his home I was almost paralysed cos I couldn't imagine singing in front of him. Though he was a little caught up today cos of which he couldn't watch me performing at the Poojapura I knew his blessings and prayers will be backing me up all the time. Keerthi complimented me by playing the thamburu .Last but not the least... Ellapugazhum Irivanaike

Ghazal Sandhya

I would be performing an evening of Ghazals, my very first in Trivandrum.It's being organized by the Habitat Technologies and Bharatham Fine Arts group which will be held at the Poojapura mandapam on the 14th of March. The concert will commence by 6:30 and will stretch upto an hour and a half. I would like to invite all interested listeners to this witness this function. I need your immense prayers and support. Keeping my fingers crossed :D.. Hopefully it should go well..

Thank you

Nithin Raj- ISS fame

Idea Star Singer fame Nithin Raj has started his own blog . Also being a great friend of mine I thought it would kind of nice to introduce him through my blog as this singer doesn't know even the B of Blogging. Do have a look and post in few comments. He would be sharing his experiences in the mainstream and would also be updating about his previous and upcoming shows. So go to Nithin's blog HERE. Meowwwwwww until next post!

S.N. College for Women, Kollam: A Tribute to Rahman

When Charu called me up last week and told me that she came up with a fantastic plan I thought she was exaggerating. But when she told me that we were suppose to perform at the S.N. College for Women, Kollam. It was a show to pay tribute to A.R.Rahman sir. What more could we ask for.. It was my first experience and the best so far. I along with Charu, Nithin, Suraj, Lata and Vinil were supposed to perform. We reached Kollam a lil late and the show started at around 11 which was scheduled for 10:30. Once we started off I was a little nervous as we didn't know how the crowd was and if anyone would turn up at all :).. All the singers were ready with their tracks and Vinil with his darbooka (Instrument used in Khalbali,etc.). We commenced the concert with Jai Ho! and O Saya !! which was awesome with Charu on the keyboard and Vinil on his darbooka. We sang a whole range of songs like Malargale, Kabhi Kabhi, Puthu Vellai, Aye Bachu. I finally got to sing my all time favourite udaya udaya with Nithin . I and Charu rocked the stage with mayya mayya. After that we had a small unplanned unplugged session. Right after mayya mayya Nithin and Suraj joined us and started of with Khalbali then it went on and on with Oh lalala, madhuraikee pogathedee, masakalli, kuchi kuchi and Dil se re....

Thanks to Arundhati aunty and S.N. College for making this big show happen :D