CHENNAI: Shoppers at Forum mall in Vadapalani enjoyed a musical treat as singer Vijay Prakash doled out hits for over 90 minutes, leaving music lovers craving for more.
The Vijaya Prakash Live in Concert event, organised as part of the Forum Shopping Festival, saw the singer turn the mall into a concert hall, with a sizeable number of shoppers on all floors stopping in their tracks to enjoy the songs being belted out by the singer.
Vijay, who was accompanied by Parvathy Menon of Airtel Super Singer fame on the duet numbers, was at his scintillating best as he delivered hits like Om Shivoham from Bala’s Naan Kadavul (2009), Innum Konjam Irrundhatha Enna from Mariyaan (2013), Kadhal Annukal from Endhiran (2010), M S Viswanathan’s classic hit Engeyum Epodhum from Ninaithaale Innikum (1979) and Poo Vasam Purapadum Penne from Anbe Sivam (2003).
Every song of Vijay evoked loud cheers from the audience, who didn’t seem to mind standing for over an hour. Spread over all the floors of the huge mall, shoppers jostled with one another to catch a glimpse of the singer perform. Martin, a sax player from Holland, played along with the band that featured music director of Ko 2, Leon James, on the keyboards.
Towards the end of each song, Vijay also shared interesting snippets about the song. For instance, he said that whenever he renders the hit number Om Shivoham, he gets a new form of energy. “I am in a trance when I sing that number,” the singer said.
He disclosed an interesting incident that had taken place when he had first recorded the original number. “Director Bala was watching Ilaiyaraaja sir record this song. After he had finished, I found Bala sir so overwhelmed that he turned to Ilaiyaraaja and said, ‘You have brought Kasi here’.”
The concert had to be extended for a little while longer as the audience pleaded for more, forcing the singer to oblige. He finally signed off singing Rahman’s Jai Ho.