Diljit dhamaka revives show

Punjabi stars shimmer and sizzle to a lukewarm audience at the Jat & Juliet concert

BY PREETI JABBAL

For a show that was a musical promotion of the highest grossing Punjabi movie till date, the Jat & Juliet concert in Melbourne remained an ephemeral experience. This concert was not about the rendering of songs; it was about the stars, comedy and fanfare that made Jat & Juliet a blockbuster success. It was timed well to promote the upcoming release of Jat & Juliet 2, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa. Punjabi cinema fans in Melbourne were delighted to watch live performances from Diljit Dosanjh, Neeru Bajwa, Feroz Khan, Rupinder Handa and Nirmal Dhaliwal at the Melbourne Convention Centre recently.

The evening took off with a lively performance from Rupinder Handa, winner of Awaaz Punjab

Di, a singing reality show on Punjabi TV. Rupinder sang well and tried her best to involve the audience; however, she was met with a lukewarm response. Undeterred, she continued to sing Ghaint Jattian, Mere Haniya and several other songs. Just when it became too much of a good thing, Punjabi playback singer Feroz Khan took over and sang his song Tarakkiyan followed by some melodious numbers. Sporting a bright coloured traditional outfit Feroz sang beautifully and changed the tempo from bhangra to serenade, albeit in Punjabi.

Diljit Dosajh, the star of the show made an entrance towards the latter half of the event, beginning his performance by paying homage to Saheed Bhagat Singh through his patriotic song Mein fan Bhagat Singh da. He then went on to sing some of his popular numbers, while clips from his current films played in the backdrop. The show took real momentum once Diljit came on centre-stage and rewarded his fans for their patience with a solid performance. His songs Dil Nachda, Los Angeles, Jhanjar, and Smile among others, were well received. His co-star in Jat & Juliet, Canadian-born Punjabi actress Neeru Bajwa added the sizzle quotient with a couple of tappy dance numbers.

Overall, as far as concerts go, this one may not have evoked the desired response from the audience as well as the artists, however the enthusiasts who were there to have a good time managed to do so with humorous comments, encouraging applause and a healthy dose of balle balle

The ever-popular Sizzlin Events was instrumental in bringing this mixed bag of talent to Australia and New Zealand. Over the years, Sizzlin Events has acquired a good reputation for professionalism in the entertainment industry. Its aim is to bring artists and events to Australia, not only to entertain the Indian community, but also to provide them with opportunities to revive and relive memories of their country of origin. Nick Bahl and Goldy Sharma from Sizzlin Events officially teamed up with Gurjot from Muziqueevents as promoters of this show, which was sponsored by Barkly International College.