International stars hear chutney

The event which took place last Sunday featured several top Bollywood stars including Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurti. Hollywood stars attending the event included Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Michael Jackson, Harvey Weinstein, Tyra Banks, Steven Seagal, and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

“I felt really good to represent my country as the top soca chutney artiste at this international event,” Girdharie told Newsday. “I believe the huge audience was mesmerised by the package I gave them.”

Girdharie is currently working on a new CD, Double Impact, which will featuring several chutney and crossover selections. He is also preparing to defend his crown in the 2008 edition of the Chutney Soca Monarch competition.

Since winning the title in February, Girdharie has been traveling extensively performing traditional chutney and soca songs. He said chutney music is penetrating markets throughout the Caribbean and North America “slowly but surely”.

At present Girdharie is making waves in TT and Miami with his groovy chutney soca “Crazy for You.”

“I personally love the way this song was recorded and I can’t wait to get on stage do this new song for the fans out there,” he said.

“As an artiste of chutney soca and traditional chutney music, one must be able to maintain the art with a level of excellence. I believe I must deliver for my fans, the music that entertains and educates at the same time.”

Kamal Dandona, Chairman of the Bollywood Awards, said: “This year’s hottest singers, designers and models set the stage ablaze with exciting performances at the Bollywood Music and Fashion Awards.”

According to Dandona, the inclusion of Hollywood stars at the event was “a great way for non-resident Indians to feel some sort of connection between their present environment and their roots”.

India’s leading singers performed live and top fashion designers presented their collections at the show. Alisha Chinai, Kumar Sanu and Kavita Krishnamurthy performed their hit numbers from films.Chinai was particularly mesmerising with her old favourite “Made in India” and herlatest chartbuster “It’s Rocking”.

The Best Music Director award went to A R Rahman for Guru and Sonu Nigam was declared Best Male Singer for ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’. However, neither Rahman nor Nigam were present at the ceremony.

Alisha Chinai won the Best Female Singer and Best Song of the Year awards, for ‘Its Rocking’ from the film Kya Love Story Hai. Manish Malhotra bagged the Best Costume Designer of the Year award for film and Suneet Varma, the Best Designer of the Year in non-film category. Malhotra could not make it to the event but his collection as well as that of Varma were part of the fashion show.

Best Model of the Year awards went to Aryan Vaid (male) and Anchal Kumar (female).This is the first time the organisers, Bollywood Group, a New York based entertainment events company, have combined into one event their annual music and fashion awards shows, started in 1999.