By: Shomik Chaudhri
36,000 watch superstar Roshan at two mega shows in Tristate area
NEW YORK: Some 36,000 South Asian Americans finally got what they had been waiting for — their superstar Hrithik Roshan live on stage in his first such performance in the United States.
The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island on May 25 and the Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey on May 26 had about 18,000 people each, according to the organizers. He was scheduled to come last year but it was canceled because of some controversy over a remark he apparently inadvertently made about the political situation in Nepal.
The show started with Rajeshwari the host for the evening. She sang from her popular album. Sequence after sequence followed. Aftab Shivdasani danced to the songs from his films.
Karisma Kapoor in an all-white outfit performed to the very popular theme song from the movie Fiza, ‘Tu Hawa Hai Fiza.’
The very fresh face Arjun Rampal danced to the songs from his movies ‘Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabbat’ and ‘Deewanapan.’
He created a ripple of sensation when he threw his shirt to the audience. Kareena Kapoor performed with songs from ‘Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai’ and ‘Asoka’ and brought the audience to their feet.
But the frenzy started when “Bollywood heartthrob” Hrithik Roshan appeared. With fireworks and lasers dazzling each movement of his to the songs from his movies ‘K3G,’ ‘Mission Kashmir,’ ‘Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai,’ ‘Yaadein’ and ‘Aaj Mujhe Achee Lagne Lage,’ Hrithik lived up to his image to mesmerize the audience. He was equally appreciative of the audience. He told them that they were his inspiration.
The event had generous sprinkles of comedy and songs in between the acts. Rakesh Roshan applauded his son when he said, “Two years ago he was known as my son. Today, I am known as his father.”
The organizers of the two shows, Kanu Chauhan in New York and Bharat Jotwani in New Jersey, told Desi Talk that they had to have two consecutive shows in the Tristate area be-cause of Hrithik’s popularity. The two stalwarts of the industry have a track record of organizing more than 30 mega shows in the U.S.
Chauhan started his show business in 1990. His first show featured Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor.
Jotwani started in 1995. His first show featured Salman Khan and Govinda. Chauhan has had the opportunity to organize shows with the top Bollywood artists, including Lata Mangeshkar, Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor. Jotwani is his own focus group. He says he sits on different seats at each venue to test the view from different angles. Chauhan’s English film is scheduled to be released next year. Jotwani said that the Continental Airlines Arena was the biggest venue with 21,000-seat capacity in New Jersey and that it was the first time that it was used for an Indian event.
National promoter Vijay Taneja’s Elite Entertainment & Financial Mortgage had the show scheduled for Atlanta, Georgia; Washington, D.C.; Boston, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; Long Island, New York; Meadowlands, New Jersey; Orlando, Florida; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; San Francisco, California; Dallas Texas; Los Angeles, California; Toronto, Vancouver, British Columbia and Calgary, in Canada; Manchester, London and Birmingham in Britain.