A STROKE OF LUCK(Y)
You guessed it right. I did get Lucky. Lucky Ali to be precise. Yes I finally got to see him. As I type this out for the first time in any kind of shape or form about my out of the world experience, those memories come flooding back in. What follows is a play by play account of what was probably one of the best weekends and more importantly one of the best days of my life not withstanding the previous weekend which just so happened to be my birthday (I know, melodramatic but hey isn’t life one hell of an unscripted drama??!!) So where do I start? Okay here we go.....
PART 1- THE HOW
On the 1st of September a beautiful Friday morning (It's Friday so the adjective😋) I got a message from a friend which had some kind of Hyperlink attached to it. When I opened it, I checked if I was still dreaming or not. I wasn't. It was about Lucky Ali's concert in Mumbai. At first I clearly thought it was a prank (An introvert knows the bearings of one clearly when his whole life is a damn prank) but no it wasn't. Realising that this was probably the only thing I ever wanted in my life, I talked about this with Mom and immediately booked the tickets.
PART- 2 THE BLUNDER
In excitement of letting everyone know I was going to a concert, I put up a screenshot of the booking details without redacting the QR code. Realizing this was a tragedy itself (आता भोगावे आपल्या करमाची फळ ). I was ridden in anxiety the whole day. Thankfully I deleted the screenshot in time and my anxiety subsided as the day progressed and after talking about it with my friends. But at the end of the day as I was getting ready to sleep I came to a realisation. It hit me like a freight train that this was happening indeed. For the first time in one and a half months I slept like a kitten without my daily dose of nightmares but with a huge smile on my face.
PART 3 - THE PREP.
The two weeks in between were not easy thanks to my anxiety coming and going due to my blunder. Well you don't really prepare for this sort of thing, but you still dig up his old songs and listen to it if you have forgotten them. Trust me folks, this is all you can do. But the feeling that some of these songs won't be just tracks anymore for you but a whole different experience altogether was nerve-racking and full of excitement at the same time.
PART 4 - THE BIG DAY
By a happy mistake (and to check whether no one had stolen my tickets) I and my big brother reached the venue a good 3 hours early. And after acquiring the ticket stubs (which are going to be framed) with a heavy sigh of relief we asked ourselves the million dollar question!!! What the hell were we going to do for the next three hours??!!! Luckily my brother suggested to take blessings at the Siddhivinayak Temple in Dadar. Now as a full blown atheist and thanks to a childhood trauma and lots of issues with God I didn't want to go but I relented. Surprisingly we got done with the Darshan in less than five minutes. But somewhere in the back of my mind I felt glad to have Bappa's blessings.
PART- 5 THE PANIC
45 minutes to go for the concert, my brother and I were unable to find a bus to the back to the Hall. I was in full panic mode now. My shirt was wet with the downpour of rains and sweat, my nerves were getting to me again when the bus arrived. But little did we know that a dreadful traffic lay ahead of us. Twenty minutes in that damn thing was enough to make me sweat again. Luckily we reached at 7:35 pm at the destination to surprisingly to find out that the concert still hasn't started. The elder brother gives me a knowing "know it all/म्हणालो ना" smirk but I'm too happy to care. All I wanted was to was get inside the auditorium and rush to my seat and hold on to it like crazy.
PART- 6 THE WAIT
WE WAITED FOR AN HOUR, MAN!!! You heard it right. By the time we were all excited and took our seats in this big auditorium we got to know it's going to be a bit late. They played a trailer of a play that was based on the well known poet, author and activist Sadat Hasan Manto starring Shekhar Suman. But i later realized that for all good things to come, patience is a very must. I wasn't disappointed after all!!! It was all worth it.
PART- 7 THE CONCERT
The host comes on stage and interacts with the crowd a bit but we are all too excited to care. He finally gives up after a half-assed attempt at humour and tells us the Maestro has arrived backstage and he will be handing the stage to him and his band. The lights dim and a familiar cheer erupts in the crowd. I take out my phone and I start recording each and every moment of what's happening on the stage. One by one every member of the band arrives and starts playing their respective instruments to a familiar tune when suddenly clad in a white suit, his long hair tied in the back, arrives the man of the hour. The Maestro Lucky Ali himself (My hands are automatically shaking as I type this.) As I see him appear on stage a dam of emotions burst through. A reel of my childhood of being introduced to this man, his songs, his music, his movies by my old man flashes in front of my eyes and in no time I am in literal tears and bawling wishing only one thing. For my Dad, my old man to be with me and living this moment.
Lucky Ali greets us with a "Good evening Mumbai" and a charismatic smile that only he can pull off with such ease and charm. As I look at them I see the years have got to him. There’s a strange melancholy to him. He doesn’t look the same like he was in his prime 20 years ago but the spirit of making music remains. He takes the microphone in his hands from the mic stand while the band strums out that familiar tune and says out the words "Anjaaani Rahon Mein" and the crowd goes wild and bonkers. We sing with him and take out our collective sadness that we may have been carrying and it’s a feeling like none other. The song is over and everyone’s is literally on their feet. He interacts with us between his songs giving out some serious stuff about what’s happening around. The songs he played from his music albums (if my memory and the phone memory serves right) "Dekha Hai Aise bhi" and "Mausum" (My own personal favourites), Jaane Kya Dhoondhta Hai and Aa bhi Jaa from "Sur" (Dad’s favourites), Gori Teri Aankhen Kahe, "Maut", Tu Kaun Hai, his classics O’Sanam and "Tere Mere Saath"(I requested my brother to hold my phone so the recording goes on and I sing my heart out) and songs from his new album that I’m not yet familiar with. In the middle of his songs he suddenly starts crooning the oh so familiar and loving "Naa Tum Jaano Na Hum" From "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai" and everyone sings with him like every 90s kid should and I am in tears again!!! He proceeds with "Hairat Hai" From Anjaana Anjaani and ends his act with "Ek Pal Ka Jeena". While the song nears the end and the band takes over he leaves in the middle thanking us by giving us a bow and waving only to disappear backstage leaving me with a tinge of disappointment. By a happy coincidence after the songs are over, the host brings him back onstage and I’m elated. The host asks him about his journey of 30 years and he says " I don’t expect anything from it, I just want to keep on singing" and the crowd goes wild again. For some reason this is something that has stuck with me. He takes our leave once again and I leave with a heavy heart but a renewed vigor, a new positivity in my heart and a happiness with an intention of staying forever.
PART- 8 (THE RIDE BACK HOME)
On the way back I was finding it hard to believe it had actually happened. I enter my home to find my mom awake reading a book and she sees the look on my face. It said it all. I wasn't hungry anymore but on the contrary quite satisfied. As I tucked myself in bed I started drifting off to my fantasy land. I found myself back in the auditorium all alone. Reliving those moments again, singing those lines again, relishing those rhythms, getting lost in the melody and finally seeing my idol in front of me singing onstage with my Dad beside me. Singing and smiling. Content and happy. Looking at me and holding me again. Just like that evening when I first listened to "Jaane Kya Dhoondhta hai" From Sur.
Just one more time...
Just like the old times...
Fin.
