CULTURE

Masti promotes new album
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Jan 7 — “Punjabi pop is here to stay”, feels a Delhi-based pop singer, Ashok Masti, who visited here to promote his new album Masti Hi Masti. Punjabi songs had always been a major component of the Bollywood industry even before Daler Mehndi and Hans Raj Hans arrived on the scene. The only thing that has changed now is that people prefer Punjabi folk in the backdrop of fusion music, he adds. To create authentic Punjabi aura, the artist has used mostly Punjabi instruments for his songs.

Ashok Masti, who is equally at ease with Sufiana kalam and Hindi songs, feels that to survive in today’s cut-throat competition, an artist has to be more of a stage performer. “It is only stage performances that can assess the artist’s credibilities,” he says.

Inspired by Gurdas Mann, Masti entered the field of music in 1990, after three years of training in classical music under Vijay Sachdeva and Sharan Ahuja.”However, there is always space for improvement” feels the artist.

The artist, who also worked in a Haryanvi movie Laddo, says he would like to work in Bollywood productions as a performing singer. “Acting is not my cup of tea” says Masti.

Masti, rose to fame with his albums Munde Bikao Ne and Yeh hai Masti has focused on good lyrics in his latest album. The peppy fusion of Punjabi tunes with electric guitar and traditional Punjabi instruments has been composed by Jaspal Mani.

Later, the artist enthralled audience at Planet M in Sector 17 and Las Vegas in Sector 34, with numbers from his recent release.

Impressive function marks Sector mela
From Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, Jan 7 — The Resident's Welfare Society, Sector 46, organised a Sector Mela, 2001 and cultural programme here today.

Children performed shabads and bhajans. The audience was also with a variety of programmes including film and classical songs, instrumental music. Fancy dress competition and dance items were also presented. Dance performances of popular Hindi film numbers "Tharo hibra me nachhe more" (Hum Saath Saath Hai) and Bumro (Mission Kashmir) by Vaishali stole the show.

The function was inaugurated by Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh. Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, Member Parliament, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Honouring senior citizens of the sector, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, Area Councillor and ex- Mayor assured the residents that a Community Centre would be opened in the sector shortly.

Mr Brahamjit Kalia, District Education Officer, gave away the prizes to the participants.

Prominent among those who attended the function were Mr Subhas Sagar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (South), and Mr K. I. P Singh, Inspector and SHO (South).