Shefali Jariwala, best known as the Kaanta Laga girl, passed away at the age of 42 on June 27 in Mumbai. She reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to a hospital by her husband, Parag Tyagi. She was declared dead on arrival. A post-mortem was later conducted at the hospital.

Rising to fame in 2002 with the music video Kaanta Laga, she later appeared in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and participated in reality shows like Bigg Boss 13 and Nach Baliye 5. Known for her candour, she had also spoken openly about battling epilepsy and mental health issues.

Mika Singh, who had worked with Shefali in the music video Hoton Pe Bas, said, “Life is so unpredictable. I knew this beautiful soul for over 25 years. We did countless shows together, crossed paths at many events, yet never truly got the chance to work closely. Then in 2020, Shefali called me and said, ‘Let’s do a song.’ We finally made it happen. Now I sit here thinking, I wish we had done more. Spent more time and made more memories. This has made me realize life is short and we must keep in touch with our loved ones… because sometimes, we don’t get a second chance.”

Shefali appeared in the TV show Shaitani Rasmein last year. Her co-actor Surbhi Shukla said, “I’m still finding it hard to believe she’s gone. On set, she was always cheerful and down-to-earth. At the same time, she was very hardworking, often quietly sitting in a corner, going over her lines with full dedication. She was fit, committed and full of life. She was very kind, warm and a great co-actor. What I remember most is her at our 50-episode celebration — dancing, singing, and laughing. That happy image is what stays with me now.”

I had known her for 15 years — we had performed together at a few live shows. She supported me during Bigg Boss. The last time we spoke was a year ago. We had even discussed collaborating on a song. She was a kind-hearted and fun-loving soul. Her absence will be deeply felt.

Earlier in an interview with us, Shefali had spoken about her plans to adopt a child. However, post the pandemic, she had said, “I have lost too many close ones in this period, which has made me realize that life is fragile. I am scared to become a parent now, but Parag is ready. I believe you should bring home your baby only when you are ready and confident. I have just taken a step back and will wait until I feel confident to take that step in life.”

– Inputs by Neha Maheshwri and Onkar Kulkarni

From the size of venues to the number of attendees and the grandeur of the artistes, concerts in the past year have evolved – transforming from mere music events into a larger cultural phenomenon. It didn’t matter whether one was a die-hard music lover; the sheer demand for the live gig experience had fans scrambling to snag tickets.

Case in point: Coldplay’s Ahmedabad performance broke the record for the largest stadium show of the 21st century, with 1,11,989 fans in attendance – narrowly surpassing the record set by George Strait, who played to 1,10,905 fans in Texas last June.

At a time when concerts have become a melting pot for artistes, organizers and fans alike, the conversation around event logistics has never been more relevant. From seamless entry and exit to parking, washrooms, crowd management, and ensuring both fan safety and artiste satisfaction, stakeholders across the board weigh in on the infrastructure expectations at live events.

In December, Diljit Dosanjh spoke about infrastructure at his Chandigarh show and said in Punjabi, “Here we don’t have infrastructure for live shows. This is a source of big revenue, many people get work and are able to work here... I’ll try next time that the stage is at the centre so that you (the fans) can be around it. Till this happens, I won’t do shows in India, that’s for sure.”

A diabetic Mumbai-based fan had shared his harrowing experience at the Byran Adams concert. He claimed that the lack of washrooms left him with no choice but to pee his pants. “I am NOT ashamed to say that I am diabetic with continence issues. You guys should be ashamed for providing three loos/1000 people,” he wrote in a post, accusing the organizers.

In December, singer Monali Thakur left the stage midway during a live gig in Varanasi. Explaining to her fans about this decision, the singer wrote in a post, “I am disheartened because my team and I were so excited to perform here. Let’s not talk about the infrastructure and its condition, as that is the management’s responsibility. I can’t explain what they have done to the stage just so they can steal money.”

She added, “Time and again, I said that I could injure my ankle here. My dancers have been telling me to calm down, but everything was a mess. We were trying because I am answerable to you all, and you come for me, right? You will hold me accountable for all of this”

From an organizer's perspective, several key areas warrant attention. “Beyond venue development, improvements to transportation and robust security measures are crucial. A cohesive understanding between event organizers and local authorities will significantly enhance the experience for both artistes and attendees,” says Rishabh Talwar, Business Head, Team Innovation.

-Active stadiums like a cricket stadium cannot always be used for concerts due to scheduling conflicts and their primary function as sports venues

- Organizers need multipurpose, plug-and-play venues designed for concerts, similar to those in the west

- These venues should have built-in production facilities and acoustic treatment

- The ease of organising concerts must improve, with streamlined permissions and reduced bureaucratic hurdles

— Avadh Nagpal, co founder, Souldout

- Obtaining approvals and coordinating with authorities to conduct concerts is a task, often leading to last-minute cancellations without care for the financial and logistical investment of organizers

- There is no uniformity in production quality across different venues. The same concert in Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore can feel drastically different because of inconsistent infrastructure and acoustics

- Lack of industry regulations: Currently, anyone with some financial backing, can call themselves an event organizer. This results in inexperienced promoters inflating artiste fees to secure shows but failing to deliver quality production or marketing

- Established artistes don’t always scrutinize the credentials of event organizers, which sometimes leads to mismanaged tours, ultimately harming the industry

— Avadh Nagpal

Talking about the Bryan Adams show that he did in Goa, Deepak Choudhary, founder and MD of EVA Live, shares, “We did a Bryan Adams show in Bambolim Stadium in Goa with 15,000 people and the city was still operating well. 70% of the time the stadium is not being used. The country has the infrastructure. The greatness of a Coldplay show in Ahmedabad is an example of that. Finally, we are getting stadiums to do concerts. Like in Delhi, A R Rahman’s show happened at Garden of Five Senses a few years ago but nobody is doing a show there now. The issue is not the absence of the facilities, but the lack of a right plan.”

“There is certainly a need to have more venues for bigger concerts. As an artiste, I also feel that fans usually struggle with logistics like parking spots or accessing the road to the venue. I feel everything else can be managed, these are the two things that we need, we lack proper planning,” shares Rahul Vaidya.

Kailash Kher, who performs with his band Kailasa, adds that it is encouraging that a discussion has now started on concerts and concert economy. “Music concerts pehle bhi hote thay par music ko lightly liya jaata tha. In the last decade – government, corporates and institutes have started taking these seriously. Infrastructure improve hone ki zaroorat hai... When international concerts happen, chahe samajh aaye na aaye, audience ka joh approach hai unke liye, ek jaisa har jagah hai. Aise hamare music ko bhi promote karna chahiye. Unke tickets black mein le rahe hain, par jab Kailasa ka show hota hai, wahi log free mein passes chahte hain toh yeh jo mentality hai, yeh change hona chahiye. Difference ko kam karne ki zaroorat hai,” Kher points out.

Subir Malik from Parikrama adds that in terms of music, light and sound, we don’t lack anything or in technical aspects, it just depends on the organizer and local event organizer. “From the musician’s point of view, I go and watch concerts all over the world. With the quality of sound, lights, and the engineers we have, the output of our vendors in India is world-class. From the music’s point of view, I am happy that India is getting all kinds of diverse artistes. The production of a show like Coldplay’s is not easy but that was managed and that is a huge thing for the country. The only thing where we need to work a little extra is crowd management, entry into the concerts, exit from the concerts and availability of toilets.”

Faridkot duo Inder Preet Singh and Rajarshi Sanyal agree that the infrastructure isn’t as big an issue as organising big concerts efficiently. “Hosting a concert takes a lot of intense technical and logistical requirements. From managing local transport for a large crowd to the food, beverages and the venue – all play an important factor in ensuring a smooth concert experience. Take for instance, the recent Coldplay concert. Many fans took a long time to just exit the venue after the concert. If we look at the one organized in Abu Dhabi, many fans were raving about how they were in their cabs and on their way home within 15 minutes after the concert was over. We have to figure out how to make the process efficient so that we can get closer to such numbers,” they tell us.

Shilpa Khanna, a resident of Sec 52, Gurgaon, who attended AP Dhillon and Karan Aujla concerts last year, shares, “I attend almost all concerts in NCR. I can manage the entry/exit points but what one cannot deal with are the washrooms at these venues. Firstly, it is impossible to find a washroom and when you do find one, there are long queues. And they are anything but hygienic. So, imagine being at a venue for 5-6 hours without any basic infrastructure in place.”

While complaints about the conditions of public restrooms at such venues remain a common grievance among concertgoers, attendees also contend with parking issues and occasional rowdy crowds. “Most of my friends choose not to go to concerts because of the crowd. Who wants to push people to enter and exit a venue. Sometimes you end up spending more time at exit and entry points than you do at the performance. It doesn’t matter if the concert is in Gurgaon or Delhi, finding a parking spot is impossible and if are lucky to find one, it takes hours to leave the venue after a concert,” says Rajat Chopra, a resident of Ramesh Nagar, who attended Bryan Adams’ show in Gurgaon last year.

Deepak Choudhary, founder and MD of an event company, shares that most promoters either already have arranged or are working to provide better washrooms at concerts. “Sometimes a promoter’s ROI does not allow them to give access to washrooms. In such cases, they are at fault. However, some of these promoters (like District by Zomato) are now asking customers to fill satisfaction forms while finalizing an event. The real issue is parking. The communication to fans abroad is ‘don’t bring your cars.’ We also tell our consumers here that there will be no parking but they still think they will find a way. They think they will bring their cars and find parking. And then we plan a 2 km walk and they get upset that they had to walk for 2 km. The infrastructure is not ready within the venue to park so many cars. And that has to be solved with the consumer behaviour, govt’s effort and pre-planning of enough parking areas near the venue. Organizers also need to make sure that there’s enough parking management.”

Deepak Choudhary highlights the gap between concertgoers’ expectations and reality. “Someone told me that they fainted because they didn’t get water at the concert but the organizers have planned enough water booths. It is a delivery expectation. We, as promoters, are not the people who will give something in your hand. We are giving you the access, doing everything we can and sometimes some promoters don’t communicate. That is the issue.”

Dampening their spirits amid the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, singer Rahul Vaidya and his wife, actor Disha Parmar, have both been suffering from dengue. He tells us, “I went to Pune on September 1, I am sure mujhe tabhi kaata hoga mosquito ne. By the time I got infected and the symptoms started showing, it was the night of September 5.”

He adds, “I was shivering and had a high fever. Those five days were the worst days of my life. Bhagwan kare kisi ko kabhi yeh bimaari na ho. The weakness was so bad that I wasn’t able to get up from the bed for four days.”

Vaidya, 36, says that his wife had accompanied him to Pune, and hence, she, too, got infected: “We are on the way to recovery, but abhi thoda time lagega, kaafi weakness hai. Our medicines are on, we eat only light food and do not workout. I had already committed to an event for which I had to travel for a day in between. Our platelets are also low, so we are taking regular blood tests and measures to improve them.”

Thankfully, their daughter, Navya, who will soon turn a year old, is unharmed. “Luckily, woh nahin aayi thi Pune. Her daada and daadi are taking care of her. She is a calm and independent girl, she doesn’t need us all the time.”

The singer is upset that despite having Bappa home, he couldn’t be part of the Ganeshotsav festivities this year. “We were on the bed the whole time. My mum managed everything, including the prasad and attending to guests. Mere doston ne aake Bappa ka visarjan kiya, hum kuch nahin kar paaye. I felt really bad,” he ends.

Recently on the reality show Superstar Singer 3 Abhijeet Bhattacharya commented on singers who performed at weddings. He said, “Koi bhi paisa diya or shaadi mein gaane lage, usme aukaat kam ho jaati hai. Meri aukaat hai, main bol deta hu, main nahi gaunga. Duniya ki koi taakat tumhe khareed nahi sakti.”

Rahul Vaidya, who has sung at many weddings over the years, has a different take. He says, “A wedding is a happy occasion. It’s a special day for a couple and if my singing can add to the celebrations, how can it be bad? I don’t think there is anything wrong with singing at weddings.”

He adds, “Why is it an ego issue for some people to sing at a wedding? According to me, no work is big or small. I sing at weddings and I love it. I have a luxurious life today thanks to that. I respect Abhijeet da for his talent and he is a cool guy, but in this regard, I don’t share his views.”

Rahul was seen in Bigg Boss 14 a couple of years ago. So, is acting on his mind? “I have never thought of acting. I am very happy with my singing career and my plate is full,” he shares.

Talking about playback singing, he says, “While new singers do get a chance, there are not enough opportunities in Bollywood for others. In this industry, I guess they prefer to work with people they know. But there are other options. People can produce, sing and act in their own songs. There’s so much one can do online, too.”

For the average concert-goer, a flying bottle, students dancing on barricades or throwing water during fests is a common sight. The recent incident at SGRR University in Dehradun, where Sunidhi Chauhan dodged a bottle while performing on stage, is yet another in the line of instances that singers have faced at fests. “Fests mein aisa hota hi hai, woh thode scary toh hote hi hain,” singers tell us.

During Sunidhi Chauhan’s recent concert (May 2) in Dehradun, a bottle was flung at her.  “The bottle came flying towards me and hit the mic. Mere saath aisa pehle kabhi nahi hua tha, so I was taken aback. I was not hurt, and I continued singing. I realized that it was not done intentionally,” the singer told us.

It happened a long time ago with me at a college in Faridabad. I think it was a plastic cup or something but a couple of them were hurled on stage. It didn’t really hit my face. These things happen. I am not so surprised and I feel in a crowd of five to six thousand people, there are always a few odd ones but because of those, others should not suffer and miss out on the musical experience that they are having. You should just ignore and let it pass like Sunidhi did.

In 2014, we were performing at a DU college and there was some ego tussle within two university student groups. Excitement was at its peak and all of a sudden, there were a lot of lathis and so many sharp objects were thrown in the crowd. Palak jhapakte hi kuchh log stage tak aa gaye. Humko protect kar diya wahan ke management ne, lekin kuchh log wahan chadhke narebaji karne lage. Phir humne dekha kisi ka sar phoota hua hai, humko toh jaake car mein baithna pada. Kuchh logon ko photos chahiye issliye jhagda hua. Hum car mein baithe, toh ek banda car ke peeche bhaaga aur bola, ‘Bhai chahe mera haath toot jaye, main toh haath nikalunga nahi gaadi se’. Matlab mohabbat bhi hai, pyaar bhi hai, lekin aisa scary pyaar? Toh DU aur yeh college fests mein aisi cheeze hote hain yeh thode scary hai. Woh energy bhi alag hoti hai.

This has happened tons of times at my shows too, particularly in Delhi colleges. I was initially oblivious to it while performing, and then my bandmates told me that during several of our shows, bottles, oranges, and other random objects had been thrown around both in the audience and on stage. A bottle almost hit me once. It’s really sad and scary that people can get like this during concerts. It can cause accidents to both them and the people on stage.

This has never happened with me in all of my performing career. But people have said nasty or borderline nasty things sometimes. And back in the day, I was too chicken to reply but now I am not. So that’s one change I have brought in myself to handle situations like these. But honestly, I don’t know how I’d feel if someone would throw a bottle or something else on stage. As an artiste, that is devastating and that’s not why you display your art and talent in front of people. You want to be loved, appreciated and respected. If something like this happens, I think what Sunidhi did was absolutely praise-worthy. She handled it with utmost grace and so beautifully with a great presence of mind and I think I would like to salute her for it. Some artistes can be temperamental, call off a concert. One can shed a tear, one can get angry, there are so many ways to handle a situation like this, but what she did was incredible.

I was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, it was a private party and the host got really drunk and I think he had a pattern of getting violent after having alcohol. He threw a glass with alcohol on the stage angrily which ended up hitting almost the right eye of my keyboardist. The injury was so bad that he had to get 12 stitches on his eyebrow. There was blood all over the stage, we were helpless because we were in a foreign country. And when someone invites us, you really can’t do much about it.

Recently, singer Rahul Vaidya took to his Instagram Story to talk about how the “film industry is full of transactional relationships”. Denying that any particular incident “triggered” this, he tells us, “Bhadaas nikaalni thi, social media par nikaal li. I had an emotional outburst.”

Seemingly upset about ruined professional relationships, the 36-year-old explains, “Sahi ko sahi, aur galat ko galat bolna chahiye. People get woven in unnecessary hassles and complicate themselves. Most successful people I have seen are very unhappy.”

Talking about the music industry, the 36-year-old laments that people take each other for granted. “Whether it’s music directors, producers, singers or lyricists, everyone has very seasonal relationships. No one is there forever,” he elaborates.

Having recently released his single Moonlight, Vaidya says, “In the last 20 years, I have made my own kingdom. Main kisi composer ya music label ko chase nahin karta. Main apne gaane khud banaata hoon. With humility, I say that meri alag race hai, and main apne maze se daudta hoon.”

Rahul Vaidya can’t keep calm, as he’s a dad now! In his first interview after becoming a father, the singer tells us that he is “on top of the world”. “Ganesh ji ke saath Laxmi ji aayi hain hamare ghar,” he says about his daughter, born on Wednesday — a day after Ganesh Chaturthi.

Ask what it was like holding her in his arms for the first time, and he can’t help but well up a bit while saying: “I was happily numb for three to four hours. Mujhe samajh hi nahin aa raha tha ho kya raha hai. I have cried several times since she was born. Whenever I see her, I get teary eyed. I’m still choking while talking!”

The feeling of becoming a father is just about sinking in, says Vaidya. “While completing the hospital formalities and filling up forms, whenever I read ‘father’s name’, that’s when it would hit me [that I am a father],” he says, revealing that singer Sonu Nigam was among the first ones to congratulate him. “He called and said, ‘Humara bachcha baap ban gaya!’” says the former Indian Idol contestant.

Have he and his wife, actor Disha Parmar, zeroed in on a name yet? Vaidya says they have shortlisted a few: “But, hum rashi ke hisaab se rakhenge. Let it be a surprise for now!”

The singer is set to turn 36 tomorrow. His birthday, this time, will be all the more special: “Disha and our child will get discharged from the hospital on the same day. So, I will bring my baby home on my birthday.”

Though the due date wasn’t until October, Vaidya says he had a feeling the baby may arrive earlier. “Till Tuesday, we were going to people’s houses for Ganpati darshan... I somehow had a strong feeling the baby will arrive around Ganesh Chaturthi. So yes, I manifested this,” he signs off.

Rahul Vaidya celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi at his home every year. But it’s extra special for the singer and his wife, actor Disha Parmar, this time around, as the couple is expecting their first child. “Like every year, I am bringing Bappa home, but it is more special because my baby is also going to arrive around the same time. Disha is due to deliver between September 19 and 25. I’m just hoping everything goes well,” shares Vaidya.

He adds, “Usually, my mum goes to select the Bappa murti. She sends it in our family WhatsApp group and then we all choose one together. Disha takes care of the decor and we bring Bappa home for five days, so logon ka aana-jaana laga rehta hai. Though Disha will do all that this time too, we will make sure she doesn’t overexert.”

Vaidya, who recently released a compilation of six Lord Ganesha aartis, says he always looked for a musical piece that consists of all the aartis together with the perfect sound, but couldn’t find one, which motivated him to work on this compilation.

“I didn’t like whatever was available on YouTube. Moreover, the ones available didn’t have the right pronunciation. So, I thought I’d make one,” says the 35-year-old, who has a personal connect with the composition.

“My mum, her friends and my extended family also feature in the video. There’s not even a single person in the video who I don’t know. Jab ghar par aarti hoti hai, your loved ones are around. So, I wanted the same feeling in the video,” the musician ends.

Actress Disha Parmar and singer Rahul Vaidya’s love story came to light when Rahul proposed to her in the Bigg Boss 14 house in 2020. They tied the knot a year later and are expecting their first baby next month. Disha says Rahul has been the calming factor during her pregnancy. She shares, “We both don’t stress about things, but I was getting a little worked up in these months. However, Rahul has helped me stay calm.”

Disha adds, “Right from the beginning, he has been there for doctor appointments and has been by my side. I’m sure that Rahul is going to be a hands-on dad.”

Rahul is on cloud nine and can’t wait for their little one to arrive. He says, “Disha’s delivery date is coming closer and there are changes happening in her body. The baby’s movements can be felt clearly now and that’s when it hits us that we are going to be parents soon. It is an incredible feeling.”

He further adds, "Each time we feel the baby’s movements, it hits us that we are going to be parents soon. It is such an incredible feeling. We are excited and waiting to see if it’s a boy or girl. If it is a girl, we already have a name in mind. If it is a boy, I’m sure we’ll come up with something nice."

Disha pays no heed to unnecessary advice on social media. She told us, "Yes, I get a lot of advice, but I don’t listen to anyone except my parents and our doctor. The worst advice is on social media where people tell me what to wear and what not to! I don’t pay heed to such comments."

Disha’s show Bade Ache Lagte Hain 3 went off air a few weeks ago. She says, “I managed to work through my pregnancy. I shot for six hours every day and used to get two days off in a week. The production house made sure I was not overworked.”

So, when does she plan to return to work? She says, “I am not thinking about it at the moment, but I don’t want to take a long break. I would like to recover, get back in shape and return to work within a year. I am not rigid about that, let’s see how things go.”

The signing of the royalty agreement, wherein 25% of the profits collected will be disbursed among artistes registered under the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA), is a welcome move, according to singer Rahul Vaidya. He tells us, “It’s great that singers will now get their dues. Singers make decent money from gigs. But, that doesn’t mean they don’t get paid for their services.”

“Most of the time, when singers are called, money is not even a part of the conversation. People try to behave as if they’re doing a favour to the singer. That attitude needs to change,” adds the 35-year-old, while also lending support to composers and lyricists: “If they don’t get royalties, how much can they sustain?”

Of late, another issue that’s plagued the music industry is chaos at concerts. From Sonu Nigam to Arijit Singh, many artistes have been at the receiving end of unruly behaviour. “Such incidents are uncalled for and unpardonable. We aren’t politicians that roam around with guards. There’s going to be no protocol that fans can’t come closer than 10 feet to us. We will be close to our fans. We just need to be careful,” he opines.

Just like every other year, singer Rahul Vaidya is bringing Lord Ganpati to his home on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi for five days. The singer shares, “As always, I am very excited to welcome Ganpati ji home. Sweets are made and the decorations are done, and it’s a very joyous environment around.”

Bappa is known for fulfilling wishes. Vaidya, however, is averse to the idea of wishing for anything. The 34-year-old shares, “When I was younger, I would ask Ganesh ji for a lot of things, but now, I’ve stopped wishing for things. I only ask for the good health and well-being of my friends and family, and that’s all what matters to me.”

The Yaad Teri singer also reveals how his singing career started because of Ganeshotsav. “I think I started singing because of Ganesh ji. My mum made me sing at a Ganpati pandal, and that’s where my musical journey started. So, I owe my singing to Ganesh ji,” Vaidya confesses.

While walking down the memory lane, he adds, “When I was young, there used to be these competitions, where everybody would sing one bhajan. That’s how my mum taught me all the bhajans, and I sang one of them, and that’s where it all started.”

Ask if he wishes for a baby this year from Bappa and Vaidya replies, “Honestly, there is no plan for a mini Rahul or mini Disha (Parmar; actor-wife) as of now. Both of us are very busy, and I still think there is some time for it. All I ask for is good health and luck for myself, and my friends and family.”

Delhi always treats me with a lot of love. It excites me with the kind of people I get to meet here,” says Rahul Vaidya, who was recently in the city to shoot for his upcoming video. Sharing an anecdote from his recent visit, when he was stranded and the shoot was stalled, he says, “A couple spotted us and offered us their house for an outfit change.”

Amazed at the hospitality of Delhiites, Rahul says, “Dilli ke gharon ka culture hai to welcome guests warmly, I have witnessed it. This couple made tea for us and was so helpful. Hospitality is embedded in Delhi’s culture. It was my good fortune that I met them and got to experience their love, firsthand. Money can be earned, and one can do a lot of things, but fandom is something money cannot buy. I feel blessed.”

Another thing that Rahul finds fascinating about the city is Dilli ka khana. “Mujhe Khan Market aur Connaught Place ke restaurants mein jaa kar khana bahut pasand hai. There is no particular dish that I crave, but I love Delhi food, all in all,” he says.

When in the capital, the one thing that Rahul always does is visit his friends. “I meet only two of them in a day because Dilli mein sab bahut dur hai, and if I meet everyone in one day, I will end up spending time on the roads only,” he adds.

Rahul, who recently gave a live performance in the capital, says, “After a big lull, live performances are back in full force. People are all out now, bhuchaal sa aa gaya hai.”

When we ask him to pick between performing live on stage and playback singing, he has a clear favourite, as he says, “As an artiste, there is no better feeling than being able to perform on stage and owning it for those two hours. Recording at a studio is a technical process, devoid of engagement with people.”

With indie music, artistes enjoy their creative liberty, feels the Naughty Balam singer. “It gives me the power to not compromise on my creative thoughts.” Talking about how more singers in India are producing and making music independently, he says, “In the west, indie music is the way to do it. We are now catching up with this trend. It satisfies creative aspirations, and that’s why singers are opting for it now.”

After his stints in Bigg Boss 14 and Khatron Ke Khiladi 11, Rahul doesn’t want to participate in any reality shows for now. He reveals that he was offered the current season of Naagin, but he had to turn down the offer. “I am committed to my music right now and have to travel frequently for it, and as an actor, you can’t do that,” he shares, adding, “I am not aiming to become an actor, but if there is an interesting short-form project that comes my way, I would consider it.”

Actress and politician Sonali Phogat, 42, passed away on Monday night in Goa after she suffered a heart attack. Born in a village in Haryana, Sonali started her showbiz journey as an anchor in 2006 and acted in a few Haryanvi films and the TV show Ek Maa Jo Laakhon Ke Liye Bani Amma (2016). In 2019, she also appeared in the web show The Story Of Badmashgarh. She had participated in Bigg Boss 14 (BB14) in 2020 as a wild card entry, post which she wanted to concentrate on her acting career, and she told us in an interview she was even planning to shift base to Mumbai. Her sudden demise came as a shock to her BB14 co-contestants, who remember her as cheerful and strong.

“She was a very strong, sweet and cheerful person. She used to always shower me with blessings. It was way too early for her to just depart like this. Sonali was a single parent, and her daughter Yashodhara is so young. I am not in a position to say much because it is very difficult to accept that she is not with us anymore. I used to be in touch with her regularly. I will need some time to come to terms with what has happened.”

“Samajh nahi aa raha mujhe abhi… Do din pehle hi baat hui thi unse. . . I am not feeling okay.”

“Sonali ji was like an elder sister to me. She had come for my wedding, and recently when my single released on Friendship Day, she asked me to send her the song. I am in deep shock. I wouldn’t call her a friend, she was more like a mother figure to me, very affectionate. ”

“She was like a mother to me. On August 7, we spoke, and she told me she was going to Goa, after which she was going to come to Mumbai, and we were planning to meet. She was a very warm person. I remember how she used to look after me in the Bigg Boss house. ”

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TV actor, former Bigg Boss contestant and political leader Sonali Phogat, 42, died of a heart attack in Goa, on Tuesday. On Monday night, she was taken to St Anthony’s Hospital And Research Centre at Anjuna in North Goa after she complained of uneasiness, sources said.

Actor Jasmin Bhasin, who was a part of the reality show with Phogat, says, “I woke up to this news and it is very shocking. I am numb. I don’t even know how to express my feelings. She was always nice to me and Aly (Goni, actor and boyfriend). She was a darling; she’d often text us. I had known her since Tashan-E-Ishq (TV series). She was very ambitious and wanted to do so much for women and society.”

Actor Nawab Shah, who played Phogat’s on-screen husband in her first TV show, Ek Maa Jo Laakhon Ke Liye Bani Amma, is “sad and shocked”. He shares, “She went too early. There was so much that she wanted to do [for society]. I remember, while doing the show, I would help her out with acting, as it was her first gig. But she was always keen to do a good job. Also, it’s quite alarming how people are losing their lives to heart attacks.”

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BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat died of suspected heart attack in Goa on Monday. In 2020, she had entered Bigg Boss as a wildcard contestant. Her co-contestant, producer, Vikas Gupta shares his memories of her. “Sonali epitomised grace for me. It was a shock for me when I heard that she had passed away so suddenly. A reporter called and gave me the news. People have been passing away too soon and I get affected by it. Sonali was someone who went out of her way to make sure she did well in life, was health conscious and raised her daughter Yashodhara so beautifully. That is very inspiring for me. Sonali was not the way she was portrayed in Bigg Boss, but full of grace, warmth and kindness. She felt that people needed to behave like that in Bigg Boss. In real life, she was very positive, full of confidence and a sorted person. Any woman who makes it big from a small town might have an attitude which people may not like. But not everyone with so much grace as Sonali can actually come so far, whether it is politics or coming on Bigg Boss 14.”

Gupta says his heart goes out to Phogat’s daughter. “Yashodhara had come on show and told her, ‘Aap Bigg Boss ke ghar ke andar dekh lo, baahar hum log sambhal lenge.’ For a young kid to say that, was mature. I feel very disheartened because people like Sonali are so much loved and needed. She was a young-hearted, vibrant person.”

Post Bigg Boss they kept in touch too, says Gupta. “She was the one who would keep in touch always. Whenever she was in Mumbai, she would want to meet. Sonali was very kind to me because apparently, I was good to her on the show. She was supportive always because she remembered this incident where one group she had encountered was unkind to her and they had reprimanded her. I had consoled her and told her, ‘Look who you are. You are an amazing person and you are playing along with people who may not have the same outlook like you.’ That’s when she became herself again.”

This Valentine's Day marks singer Rahul Vaidya and actor Disha Parmar’s first post their wedding last year. Though they will be working during the day, they plan to spend the evening together. Not a big believer in Valentine’s Day, Vaidya says, “Love fades away after a point, but it’s each other’s temperament that keeps the relationship strong. If you have a sense of loyalty, you will sail through.”

For Parmar, an ideal relationship is one where a couple shares similar values: “My kind of an ideal relationship is when two people are on the same page, want the same things from life and respect each other. Rahul and I share that.”

They credit each other for bringing stability into their respective lives. “I used to be very moody. That has changed with Rahul being around. I throw less tantrums now,” says Parmar. So, do they fight? “There are days we don’t talk to each other, but it makes our love grow stronger,” reveals Vaidya, 34.

The Woh Apna Sa actor chimes in, “We have small, dumb fights, at times, which we make up for a few days later. Both of us don’t believe in fighting or showing our anger in a livid way.”

Talking about the most compatible trait between them, the Yaad Teri singer says, “We don’t like to go gaga about love on social media. We like to live a normal, simple life.”

Parmar, 29, quips, “We sleep and wake up at the same time, which is important. That, I think, is also the cutest thing we share.”

Singer Rahul Vaidya feels lucky that he got to pay his last respects to late singer Lata Mangeshkar. But, he says he walked away before her pyre was set on fire. “When I saw the tricolour being taken off from her body before her funeral pyre was set on fire… Oh my God, I still can’t express my emotions. I felt heavy in my heart, and had tears in my eyes,” Vaidya chokes, as he recalls her funeral.

The Nightingale of India passed away on Sunday and her last rites were held in Mumbai. Looking back at the moment when he bid goodbye to the doyen of Indian music, Vaidya shares, “Watching her body being kept on the chandan wood was a difficult moment. It was an unusual feeling. I choked. I kneeled down, paid my last respect and walked off before they set her on fire.”

The singer, 34, considers himself lucky to get a chance to pay his tribute, as “many people wanted to get the last glimpse of her”. But, with a heavy heart, he adds, “While we know death is inevitable, we never thought a day would come when we would hear that Lata ji is no more.”

Vaidya interviewed Mangeshkar for a special cause in 2013, and remembers being “terribly late” for the interview due to traffic. “It took me four hours to reach her place. I had almost turned pale, because I made her wait, but she made me feel really comfortable,” says the singer, who also interacted with her over the phone several times.

While he feels the void after her death will stay forever, Vaidya says she will always stay alive through her music. “She is going to be with us forever through her musical legacy, like she says in her song, ‘Tum mujhe yun bhula na paaoge, jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere, sang sang tum bhi gungunaoge,” he concludes.

In light of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the unprecedented increase in the number of Coronavirus positive cases in Mumbai, and the curbs set up by Maharashtra government to curtail its spread, most concerts, private gigs and stage events in the city stand cancelled or postponed.

Live performances that had picked up quite well in the last quarter of 2021, have all quieted down to a large extent under the current circumstances in Mumbai, despite it being the season for live music shows, concerts, events, college festivals and wedding gigs. The Maharashtra government has banned large gatherings and also put restrictions on the number of people that can attend events. That apart, in the last few days, Mumbai’s singer-musician community has had multiple Covid-positive cases including Sonu Nigam, Vishal Dadlani, Shankar Mahadevan and others. While musicians agree that the situation is tough, they urge fans to mask up and stay safe, and also talk about how this current phase will impact the music industry, once again.

“About 80% of the events have been postponed. It is extremely saddening for the people who work in the live entertainment industry, especially those who survive on daily wages. It’s also very difficult for musicians. I have already started getting messages from people who are worried about what’s going to happen, but I am positive that this won’t last for very long,” says Rahul Vaidya.

Shalmali Kholgade says, “I just got back from a holiday, ready to begin working again, but it looks like I will have to wait. Although I would have loved to get back to it, several of my shows are either cancelled or postponed. Unpredictable is the new normal and we must adapt to that as well, just like we’ve adapted to other things in the past. I’ve decided to focus my energies on completing my album.”

Kavita Krishnamurti shares, “All my engagements have been cancelled. Though concerts were beginning to start a couple of months ago, the pace was still slow compared to the pre-COVID scenario. It’s going to be very difficult for artistes who depend on live gigs for their livelihood. The situation is really bad now and I do hope that some organisations raise money for these artistes through online events and fundraisers.”

Arko says, “I’ve just arrived in LA from Chicago after a music video shoot and judging a singing competition. My recording has been cancelled as my music producer and family tested positive. So, I understand the loss of work due to this pandemic again. But we have to be patient. A couple of years of difficulty will be forgotten in the long run, but we can’t afford to be ‘penny wise pound foolish’ by ignoring the health scare.”

“Just as we began to go back to normalcy, events started to get cancelled. But, this is something that we have to live with now. Musicians and performers have to work out a way to live and we have to work out an alternate way of life. The performance industry has really suffered in the last two years and it’s about to suffer some more now. These two to three months are crucial for us because there are a lot of weddings, concerts, college festivals that usually happen. The earnings of musicians, performers, people in the events industry, stage artistes are affected. Having said that, I’m still performing at some events and I feel grateful about that. These are small private gatherings and weddings in smaller cities,” the musician shares.

Akriti Kakar says three of her gigs have been cancelled in January itself. “Just when we felt that things were getting better, with artistes travelling extensively, and weddings and concerts returning, this new variant came in to walk all over us again. I hope this phase passes soon and we can resume our work again. If it does not, then it will severely impact those who depend solely on live gigs, just like in the first and second wave,” she shares.

She says, “It was exciting to start travelling again for concerts. Things were picking up in November 2021 and it felt incredible to be on the road. But, things have gone quiet again and almost everyone I know seems to be catching the new variant. I find myself feeling low quite often and it's counterproductive. There’s a lot of studio work to do from home, but the heart is hurting from all of this, making it hard to make music.”

“It’s heartbreaking to see that just when we were all gearing up for a good season, events are getting cancelled or postponed. It’s both depressing and scary. But yes, health is a priority, so let’s hope we get through this quickly. Everyone please mask up and stay safe,” the singer urged.

Composer duo Sachin-Jigar shares that they have cancelled many of their gigs keeping the current situation in mind. “The whole live entertainment industry will take a hit because of this situation. January to March was slated to be the peak shaadi season, but we are hoping the situation improves by April-May. The last two years have been terrible. We know a lot of musicians who left Mumbai and went back to their hometowns for alternative means of income.”