Raghav Meattle: A Rising Star!

After a fantastic performance

One must be either very gifted or very strong-minded, to quit a successful corporate job in pursuit of a dream. Talented young singer, Raghav Meattle, is both. He first made a mark as a semi-finalist on the second season of India’s only English-language reality TV show, “The Stage”. He hasn’t looked back since.

25 year old Raghav is certainly a dreamboat. He’s blessed with oodles of charm, generous good looks and a swoon-worthy voice. He has a special appeal that makes him stand out in a crowd. The celebrity judges on his TV show- Vishal Dadlani, Ehsaan Noorani, Devraj Sanyal and especially Monica Dogra, shared my sentiments.

I saw Raghav perform recently at Fio Cookhouse & Bar, at Epicuria Mall in Nehru Place, New Delhi. The restaurant is ideal for live performances, with its large indoor space and beautiful outdoor setting. Fio has acquired a reputation for the Friday night live gigs, so the place was jam-packed. Most tables were occupied and there was a sizeable crowd standing at the bar.

Photo courtesy: Raghav Meattle/ Facebook.com

Raghav shone that night, supported ably by a crowd cheering him on with each song. He was flooded with song requests, which he readily obliged. He was on the guitar and his musical coterie included two other musicians.

The songs he wrote himself really stood out for their originality and instant appeal. The touching “Since memories remain” moved me. "Back to the known" is a heartfelt tribute to being homesick. While introducing the song he endearingly called himself “’an emo kid!” On a different vein was the uplifting “Better than it all”, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Other self-written numbers included “Bar Talk” and “Boring I love you”. 

He also sang some covers, such as the fun George Ezra numbers, “Budapest” and “Blame it on me”, the catchy “New Shoes” by Paulo Nutini, some interesting mashups of No Diggity, “Thrift shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, and the ever popular “Sexy and I know it” by LMFAO. He brought a distinct flavor to each one, while maintaining the allure of the originals. When a couple on the floor requested the soulful “You look wonderful tonight” by Eric Clapton, he brought out the romance in spades! People hadn’t had enough when he was ready to pack up.

Photo Courtesy: Fio Cookhouse and Bar/ Facebook.com

The only glitch that night was the sound system at the venue. The speakers were placed next to the bar, severely affecting the sound quality as people crowded round that area. This can be easily rectified. Here’s hoping Fio takes notice in time for its next live gig!

Raghav is experimenting with many platforms as he begins his musical career. Apart from touring the country, singing live at various venues; he often collaborates with filmmakers and other creative media to lend his voice to their work. The best example is the beautiful “Meher Teri” for The Wedding Filmer, which literally gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

It’s said that a star is born when a talented person receives widespread recognition. Raghav Meattle is definitely a rising star. He has everything going for him with his fresh, expressive vocals and his charismatic personality. Yet a bit of luck goes a long way in achieving renown. I look forward to following his journey, as I wish him all the luck!

Gig rating: 4/5 stars

*Check out his Youtube page here: Raghav Meattle/ Youtube.com.

Delhi's First Morning Fitness Party: Did it Live Up to the Hype?

                                           Happy, shiny people post a kick-ass workout!

                                           Picture: Kapil Choudhary: Kc Photography

Burning calories while having a blast? Sounds too good to be true but that’s exactly what Delhi’s first fitness party promised. Group workouts conducted by celebrity fitness professionals, pulsating music, and a central location all guaranteed a unique event.

                                                 Crusher Bharat gets the show started 

                                                   

What is a Fitness Party?

When you work out, your body releases endorphins to give you a burst of happiness. At fitness parties, endorphins are guaranteed with group exercise activities, peppy music, cool fitness merchandise, and healthy food. As fitness becomes fashionable, fitness parties are the future of the wellness industry.

                                       That awkward moment when you're called on stage!

Delhi’s First Morning Fitness Party

The Times of India and Fitternity.com organized the first fitness party in Delhi, aided by sponsors like SOIE and Aegon Life Insurance, among others. It was held on September 17, at The Park Hotel, Connaught Place. The venue was ideal, as a large hall was used for indoor sessions and the pool for Aqua Zumba.

Celebrity fitness trainers were invited to conduct their signature routines. These included Manisha Kohli for Yoga, Sucheta Pal for Aqua Zumba, Shalini Bhargava for Masala Bhangra, Deepika Saxena for Pilates, and Crush Fitness India for Dance Fitness. The event ended with a dance party to DJ Raedl’s beats. Each group was given a 45 minute slot.

Tickets for the event were reasonably priced at Rs. 300 and food packages were sold for an additional Rs. 250. These packages included a vegetable sandwich, a couple of fruits, an energy bar, a muffin, yoghurt, and a soy milk drink.

There was a station to check your Body Mass Index, with experts giving advice. There were also on-the-spot giveaways by the event’s sponsors.

Happy faces post workout!

Crush Fitness India

I chose Crush Fitness India's session as the time slot of 9:45 a.m. allowed me a Sunday morning snooze!

The Crush Club program of Crush Fitness India is based on six different dance styles, including Bhangra, Bollywood, Jazz, Merengue, Salsa and Hip-Hop. These styles are merged to make a unique High Intensity Interval Training workout set to lively music. They claim their sessions can make you burn up to 600 calories in 60 minutes.

Founder Bharat Sadana, is blessed with the ability to make large crowds follow him in his energetic dance movements. Along with co-founder Uday Raj Anand, he has put together a team of young dance fitness professionals. Each team member delivers a phenomenal workout. They stay true to the structure of Crush Club, yet bring in a flavor all their own.

After attending their explosive session, I can confidently attest to their calorie-crushing claims. There was fantastic energy in the room throughout the session. The sweating was proof of calorie-burn and our smiles proof of a well-deserved happiness!

With the awesome Crushers

Review of the Morning Fitness Party

The event suffered from slight teething problems. The emcee was unimpressive as he failed to engage the audience. More pursers were needed for crowd management; especially to make people stand with sufficient gaps from each other.

The sessions started on time, which was a bonus. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to attending more parties. With their reasonable price point, central location and ability to attract people of all age groups; they will certainly do well.

Event rating: 4.5/5

Caffe Tonino, Connaught Place: A Review

Picture courtesy: megavenues.com

I visited this cute café after a shopping spree with my cousin. It's conveniently located right opposite the Connaught High Street building in Connaught Place, which currently houses a massive H&M store. Thus, the café is ideal for a post-shopping bite.

It’s very welcoming with its picturesque décor and well-lit atmosphere. The staff is friendly, courteous and concerned about your experience without being too pushy. The dishes are reasonably priced which is very welcome in the age of GST!

Run by the team behind the iconic Tonino’s restaurant in Mehrauli, the café describes itself as a “Tuscan villa style cafe with tiled floors and brick walls offering authentic Italian dishes.” These high claims elicit high expectations. My cousin ordered the Golden Chicken Burger, which was delicious. They happily customized it for us by removing all vegetables as per preference. Served with Cajun fries, it made for a filling and tasty lunch.

I ordered the Peri Peri chicken, which the wait staff warned was extremely spicy. I asked for them to tone down the spices to a medium level. My dish arrived with three medium sized pieces of chicken, Cajun fries and a side salad. Unfortunately the chicken was extremely spicy, despite my request. Moreover, it was tough, undercooked and had a strange taste. I had to leave the dish after ploughing my way through one piece. The fries were delicious and the salad was satisfactory, so I wasn’t left hungry.

Despite my dissatisfaction, I was willing to pay the full bill, but the staff made sure the price of the chicken was removed. This kind of service deserves a special mention. I was ready to leave the restaurant with a flavor of disappointment in my mouth; instead I left with a smile!

Price of two dishes and 2 cokes: Rs. 1200/-

Price of one dish and 2 cokes: Rs. 770/-

Restaurant rating: 3.5/5

Mughal-E-Azam: A Stunning Musical Extravaganza!

Picture courtesy: www.scroll.in

Expectations are high when K. Asif’s legendary classic from the silver screen is adapted to a musical play. After six successful runs in Mumbai, Feroz Abbas Khan’s directorial venture, Mughal-E-Azam, has finally arrived in Delhi. Playing at the majorly revamped Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, it is a spectacle of grand measure, a fitting tribute to the original.

Though it took 7 years to make the movie, this play was put together in a record 2.5 months, perhaps the quickest ever for a show of this standard. I was enthralled by the phenomenal feat of live singing and masterful dancing. It is a huge achievement to consistently maintain energy levels throughout 2 hours and 45 minutes.

In my opinion, the true strength of the show is in its impeccable timing. The sets were transformed seamlessly; costume changes were flawless; and the dancers moved from scene to scene, with a fluidity one wouldn’t think possible.

Some of the actors impressed more than others. Anarkali, played by singer Priyanka Barve was outstanding. Her ability to emote through her immaculate singing stood her in good stead. The characters of Jodha Bai, played by TV actress Sonal Jha; and Bahar, played by Pratibha Singh Baghel, performed well. Akbar, played by Nissar Khan was impressive but fell short in comparison to the great Prithviraj Kapoor, who played Akbar in the original. Salim (played by Dhanveer Singh) was disappointing as he lacked a strong voice. One would imagine a more commanding voice for the heir apparent to the kingdom of Hindustan (or at least the actor playing him!)

However, the show isn’t marketed for its acting prowess. The real stars are the classically trained kathak dancers. Their ability to breathe life into scenes and faultless movements were breathtaking. Some truly impressive scenes include the evergreen “Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya”, the stunning qawaali of “Teri Mehfil Mein”, and the war scene where the fighting was vividly portrayed through dance. Kudos to the brilliant choreographer, Mayuri Upadhya.

Manish Malhotra has really outdone himself on the costumes. Each piece stood out for its aesthetic brilliance as well as its subtle imagery. In fact, every scene was a veritable visual treat. The digitally enhanced sets designed by Neil Patel, the projections by John Narun and the lighting by David Lander were all key contributors. Piyush Kanojia did a wonderful job recreating the magic of the original melodies, as well as lending a dramatic background score. The Line Production team of ‘Rapid Waters Pvt. Ltd’ including Namrata Ahmed and Suparna Chakravarti was instrumental in putting together this wonderful event.

There were a few minor flaws. In all its grandeur, it didn’t fully capture the poignancy of the original story. The tickets were very expensive, but that’s understandable, with the amount of time and effort invested in its creation. Some of the cast members need to be changed. Once these issues are addressed, the show will grow from strength to strength.

I highly recommend watching this memorable spectacle, on till the 17^th of September. Fans of the movie will enjoy reliving the decadence of the original, and a first-time audience will enjoy the resplendence of every aspect.

Play rating: 4/5 stars

Picture courtesy: www.radioandmusic.com