UDIT Narayan and Alka Yagnik, both phenomenal Bollywood playback singers, did not disappoint the audience with their performances Sunday night at the Guyana National Stadium,

Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The venue was jam-packed and unconfirmed reports indicate an attendance of approximately 10,000. The VVIP section, which cost $20,000 a person, seemed even larger this time around, and a huge crowd standing also made up the audience.
The show started on time, at 19:00hrs, and was very well organized. The ‘no alcohol’ policy of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha had its benefits. There was generally no foul language or belligerent behavior in the crowd.
Udit and Alka performed close to five hours on stage, singing one hit song after another, and even inviting the audience to name those songs that they wished to hear.
Udit sang in excess of 20 songs and began his performance with the very song that brought him to stardom, the hugely popular “Papa Kehte Hai” from the movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. In fact, he earned himself a Filmfare Award for this tune back in 1988.
The audience particularly loved that Udit didn’t just sing for them, but made his performance very lively as she showed off some seemingly spontaneous choreography. The way he pulled out his comb and often fixed his thick black hair was also noted.
His presentation was enhanced with dancers from the Dharmic Nrityasangh, a local group with choreography by Sabha Executive Dr Vindhya Persaud, who also served as chairperson for the event.
The dancers performed exceptionally well, prompting Persaud to exclaim how very proud of them she was.
Alka continuously informed the audience that she loved them and was very happy to meet them. She congratulated them on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the arrival of Indians to Guyana.
Some in the audience also commented on the manner in which Alka wrapped her sari, observing that others can definitely learn from her. Meanwhile, the audience, for the most part, stepped out in the traditional Indian wear.
Apart from President Donald Ramotar and his wife Deolatchmee, other prominent ones who were in attendance (who caught the eye of Chronicle) included former president Bharrat Jagdeo, Finance Minister Ashni Singh, and Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran.
In an invited comment yesterday, Vindhya told this newspaper that she thought the two Bollywood singers performed “spectacularly” and definitely helped Guyanese to celebrate Indian Arrival in fine style.
She loved the audience, too, and expressed thanks to each person who turned up for the show and those who worked behind the scenes in making it possible. Persaud observed that the music and “right voices” of the two artistes appealed to Guyanese, young and old.
The concert was sponsored by Digicel, I-CEE,  Sunburst, Aruwai Plaza, E-Networks, Digicom, TVG, NCN, NTN Guytrac, Rent-a-Tent, Princess Hotel, Smalta, Giftland, Guyoil, Chand’s Printing,  Amanda’s Costume Jewellery & Bridal, Lens, Metro, Buddy’s Mei Tung Restaurant, Pepsi and Courts.
According to Persaud, Udit and Alka were not part of some tour and happened to pop in to Guyana, but they came from the other end of the world to perform on this grand occasion. She reminded that all of the proceeds will go towards building their children’s shelter, Bal Nivas, in Berbice, which is about half way completed.
Meanwhile, described as the melody queen of Bollywood, Alka is among the best-known playback singers of Hindi cinema, and is a record seven-time winner of the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer, out of a record 35 times being nominated. She is also a two-time recipient of the National Film Award, as well as a winner of several other music awards.
Alka got her big break in the 1980s, singing the Madhuri Dixit song ‘Ek Do Teen’ from the super hit film Tezaab. Overnight, the song made her a star, and she went on to become a pop hit, in the process winning herself a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was also a career maker for her, as, along with Udit, she became a household name.
Alka has done playback singing for over 700 Indian films. She has sung in many notable non-film albums, and has rendered the Hanuman Chalisa and various devotional songs. Alka has also been the judge for ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ and ‘Star Voice of India’, and has sung ‘Ringa Ringa’ for the award winning film Slumdog Millionaire.
In 2012, on the occasion of 100 years of Hindi Cinema, her song ‘Taal Se Taal Mila’, from the movie Taal, was voted as the best song of the century.
Udit, on the other hand, has sung over 1200 songs for Hindi films, and has crooned some of the best romantic Bollywood hits. He has won three National Film Awards in India, five Bollywood Filmfare Awards, and numerous other awards.
In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India.
He got his first break in 1980, when noted music director Rajesh Roshan asked him to playback for the Hindi film Unees Bees and he was given the opportunity to sing with the veteran Mohammed Rafi.
His most recent hit is a song that is currently popular in Guyana, ‘Radha’, from the film ‘Student of the Year’.