He doesn’t run from one end of the stage to the other, nor does he do push-ups on stage — all established gimmicks at concerts to get the crowds pumped up — but Bollywood singer Arijit Singh proved that you can stand in one spot for more than two hours strapped with a guitar and create absolute magic.
His weapon, on Friday at the Dubai World Trade Centre, was his powerful voice used in ballads potent with angst (Tum Hi Ho from the film Aashiqui 2), longing (Yeh Jo Fitoor from the film Fitoor), rebellion (Kabira from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani) and devotion (Muskarane from the film Citylights).
At 9.40pm (a respectable delay to the scheduled 9pm start), Singh appeared on stage claiming life has come full circle for him.
“This is the gratitude I want to show. Thank you, Dubai,” said Singh. And he truly meant it because for the next three hours, his fans were transported to a world where romance and courtship aren’t a dying currency. He began with an earnest rendition of Yeh Jo Fitoor (his favourite track from recent times).
With the London Symphony Orchestra in full form, Singh — clad in a white shirt and a tailored nehru jacket — had his fans sing along. Their devotion to his songs was evident because he left gaps so that they could complete his lines. It was a divine union that reminded you of all those loved up married couples who finish each other’s sentences. There was an adorable familiarity and intimacy between them. This was a concert that relied on keeping things simple, but spectacular.
His dexterity and range was displayed when he belted out hits by other singers such as Atif Aslam’s enduring hit Tere Bin and Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s Dil Chahta Hai. It was enjoyable, but what his fans craved was his signature songs from Aashiqui 2. At one point, he had to ask an overzealous fan from the front row screaming out his request for Tum Hi Ho with his arms wide open, to pipe down. But not before he indulgently gave in and said: “I will add Tum Hi Ho to every song I sing from now on. It’s for you bro.”
An absolute superstar in their eyes, he also proved that he was a regular rockstar who knew how to win over his fans. When he sang the 1964 Bollywood classic Lag Ja Gale (which has a line that translates to “embrace me, for who knows if this beautiful night will ever come again”), the mood became surreal and haunting.
But his best was saved for last. His rendition of Kabira and Tum Hi Ho, with flawless music from his accompanying band, was powerful enough to make you believe that romance and fairytale endings can never go out of style.
