April 21, 2017, HSNC, Morrisville, NC
Believe me, they were mesmerizing moments! A real tribute to legendary director or the “King of Romance” as well call him – Yash Raj Chopra. A Houseful show…more than 800 people, 50+ artists, several sponsors, donors and volunteers, SIF MADE HISTORY!! This has never happened before in RTP.
Lamhe was a completely Fabulous Friday evening package. It took us through the journey of Yash Copra bringing different forms of performing arts together on stage to relive director Yash Chopra’s magical Journey. The presentation format traced the achievements and interesting facts of his journey using a blend of media anecdotes, music, dance, movie clips, pictures and arts. And of course, there were food and shopping options as well. It had everything that you need to spend an evening out with your family.
While the audience was settling down for the romance to begin, we could eat, shop or learn more about the various SIF projects on the booth that displayed highlights of what SIF had done so far in various ways to help the farmers back in India. A short presentation about SIF story, goals and FOCUS areas was also being run in the hall, so that people who are waiting inside could also get a glimpse of WHAT SIF is and what they have been doing far. It brought goose bumps to lot people when they came to know that, per India’s National Crime Records Bureau, every 41 minutes, a farmer commits suicide in India! And the fact that, the money raised by LAMHE, will be used to give life to several families in India, did bring a feeling of satisfaction to be able to give back to society.
While we were listening to the initial days’ story of Yash ji, a clip plays on the background featuring Manoj Kumar and Mala Sinha for the song “Tere pyar ka asra chahta hoon…” and suddenly we realize it’s our artists singing the song in their melodious voices!! We went on listening to his journey with Ae meri Johar-e-zabi, Mere dil mein aj kya hai, Mohabbat bade kam ki cheez hai, keh doon tumhe, Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein, Rang barse, Dekha ek khwab and many more. We also saw our favorite dialogues from most popular movies like Deewar, Kabhi kabhi, Lamhe etc.
Yash Chopra was a director who captured almost all flavors of love and all situations that love can create in your life and how “love” evolved during different times in the Indian society. From the mad melodramatic love to the very matured love stories, from black and white movie to colored, from single stared to multi-starrers, he had captured it all in all ways. So, after the 60s and 70s, we marched into his modern-day journey with Chandni, Darr, Dil to Pagal hai, Veer Zara, Jab tak hai Jaan etc with medleys of our favorite numbers.
There were clippings as background on some songs, and amazing dance performances on stage for others. With the perfect lighting and sound effects on all of them, it could not have been any better experience for the audience. No wonder, audience was glued to their seats, feeling rejuvenated for hours together!
While it was, a fun filled event, SIF is committed to use every dollar raised, to help the distressed farmers back home. The funds raised by means of tickets, sponsorships and donations for LAMHE will be used for Project Jal – A project that helps SIF recharge 200 borewells to help farmers irrigate their lands and increase their yield, to make their lives better and NOT COMMIT SUICIDE!
CHEERS to the Artists, Volunteers, sponsors, donors and RTP audience for making this happen!!!
