KOCHI:
The city got to hear a live concert in person from the familiar television duo of Chitra Pai and Sam Siva, as the anchor and her co-singer of the ‘Minnale’ music band sang at the ‘Arts and Medicine” show organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) today.
The singers, whose show at the Government General Hospital a month ahead of the fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, lasted for 75 minutes, making memorable the 243rd episode of the all-Wednesday programme. Both the artistes are part of ‘Misty Rain’, a musical programme on a popular channel.
On Wednesday, much to the entertainment and solace of patients, bystanders and medical staff among others, the duo rendered 15 songs in three languages: Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil. Five of them were melodies delivered as duets, and particularly savoured by the crowd that were kept in trend with the tune and tenor of the compositions.
Sam, who has earlier as well performed at the show, began the therapeutic concert with ‘Kabhi kabhi Mere Dil Mein’ from the 1976 film Kabhie Kabhie that starred Amitabh Bachchan and Rakhee.
Chitra, a native of Fort Kochi, has nurtured a passion for music right from childhood, having participated in festivals at the school and college levels. She has performed for various stage and television shows and has been an active presence all through these years. Chitra has sung for the popular musical album, ‘Dream Girl’, which is a bit hit on YouTube as well. She has also sung for devotional albums and dubbed movies.
“I have been blessed with the opportunity to host celebrated singers and work with them. I have also sung for some reputed films (such as Billa The Don and Lucky The Racer), thanks to the music fraternity which helped me in chasing and fulfilling my dreams,” said the vibrant vocalist. “I have heard a lot about this Biennale stage and had for long wanted to be a part of it. Finally, today I got to really experience the vibes from an eagerly waiting audience.”
Sam Shiva is also a well-known face among the Malayali singers, courtesy also to his presence on Malayalam Television screen, where he is a particularly thorough entertainer. The title song of ‘Ustad Hotel’, the 2012 hit movie, was sung by Sam. He has also been honoured for his multilingual ability to sing in 25 languages.
The 108-day KMB 2018 is to begin on December 12 as India’s biggest contemporary art show. Art and Medicine’ is a KBF initiative in association with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra, providing therapeutic music for the solace of patients on a regular weekly basis.
