Days after being honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Usha Uthup was back on stage, doing what she does best — making people sing along.
The illustrious singer lit up the tea lawn at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club on January 28 with an electrifying performance that had the entire club on its feet. My Kolkata brings to you the pulse of the audience.
RCGC captain Gaurav Ghosh and wife Neelanjana felicitated Uthup in light of her recent Padma Bhushan honour
Uthup walked onto the stage in a black sari, exuding the same youthful exuberance that she carried into Trincas during the 1970s. “I’ve been singing for almost 54 years, and it all started with your love,” she smiled, before crooning the opening lines of I Believe in Music by Mac Davis. Following thunderous applause, she switched gears to sing the Oscar-winning Skyfall. As the applause gradually died down, Uthup invited the audience, “If you want to dance on the next one, please do.” In no time, the dance floor was full of people tango-ing to Stand By Me.
(Left) The audience had a singing battle with Uthup for Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, with the former singing one line, and the latter singing the other. (Right) Nandini S. Ghosh couldn’t resist recording the moment. ‘It was a feast of music, and Ushaji’s voice heightened every emotion,’ she said
“Kolkata shows how music has no barrier, caste, sex or religion. All the big things happened here for me. It’s been lucky for me,” she beamed, before singing the fitting Daft Punk number, Get Lucky. The audience barely had a moment to breathe, as Uthup rapidly switched the mood, diving into Bollywood. The medley had both contemporary and retro hits, comprising tracks like Bulleya, Dum Maro Dum, Ramba Ho and Koi Yahan Nache Nache.
When Paoli Dam heard that Usha Uthup was coming to her own club to perform, she knew she couldn’t miss it. ‘Usha ma’am is very dear to me, and the undisputed queen of Indian pop. Only she could make a crowd dance like this,’ the actress said
Throughout her performance, Uthup surprised audiences with her dynamism, elevating the energy with each song and keeping the mood upbeat. The loudest cheers of the night came when she chuckled, “Put a glass on your head for the next one.” The audience erupted, as the band played the opening notes of Jamal Kudu.
(L-R) RCGC CEO Devrishi Singhal, captain Gaurav Ghosh and entertainment convener Nirmal Agarwal put together the night. “Mrs Uthup’s infectious enthusiasm, boundless energy and undeniable charisma added an extra layer of magic to the evening, giving our members lasting memories,” said Agarwal
When the audience sang along to her smash-hit Uri Uri Baba, she gasped, “I wish we could record this. RCGC jo bhi karta hai, shaan se karta hai.” As the night came to a close, one thing was for certain. The awards won’t stop coming anytime soon.