24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Rain, tea and '70s melodies at Kochi Fine Arts Hall
Abhi na jao chhod kar, Yeh dil abhi bhara nahi...
Can one put a price on memory? Does memory have a colour, taste, or perhaps a smell...
For many Indians, memory sounds like Mohammed Rafi's soulful voice served with a side of golden chai and biscuits, Lata Mangeshkar's sweet melodies drifting through the open window from a neighbour's radio, Kishore Kumar's hummings on a rainy afternoon or Asha Bhosle's voice reverberating as one goes on a drive.
Whether it was R D Burman's experimental genius or the soulful poetry of Gulzar, the songs of the '70s still tug at the heartstrings, transporting you to a romantic, sepia-toned India, one that existed on 35mm film rolls and cassette tapes.
The Kerala Fine Arts Society this Sunday is celebrating these outstanding voices with a musical feat. At 6.30pm, a group of talented singers will pay respects to the evergreen '70s greats — Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Yesudas, and many more. As part of their biannual cultural programme, the society is hosting 'Sunahare Sattar - Suvarna Ezhupathukal'.
The songs will be performed by Balram (TV star and Gandharva Sangeet semifinalist), Shyam (chartered accountant and singer), Yahiya (stage singer, ghazal singer, and 2nd runner-up on Flower TV's Top Singer), Alka (1st runner-up of Janam TV's Madhuram Ramayana), Asha (film and devotional singer and performer), Sangeetha (MA English Literature student), Samyuktha, and Sasikumar (known as junior Kishore Kumar).
The biannual music programme was conceptualised in 2018 by P N Nandakumar, the nephew of poet and lyricist P Bhaskaran, and has since been taken over by Sreekumar Mankuzhy, an executive committee member of the Fine Arts Society.
The programme has paid tribute to various trailblazing composers, singers, and poets. The event is open to the public and entry is free. For details, call 9496366730
