Posted on: 10-10-09 23:09:28
I went with a fair degree of skepticism and boy was I right.
I went around 3pm expecting Mahalakshmi Iyer to sing. Guess what, the Ramlila half-time was after 3pm. Then, a bunch of folks got on the stage and congratulated themselves and spoke some nonsense. At least prepare your speech in advance guys, you are touting yourselves as professionals. Ramlila was decent but it was 5pm by the time it was done. It was another 30 minutes before Anuradha Paudwal surprisingly came to sing. She and her daughter sang a few songs. There were quite a few audio glitches. We heard the mike screech and they had problems getting the percussion on the sound system. Finally came Ms.Iyer who was good but I think she only sang 4 songs.
After that, came on Stereo Nation whereas most of us were expecting Sunidhi Chauhan. After listening to some loud Punjabi-pop for 1.5 hrs, we gave up on Sunidhi. My wife and son went to ask one of the organizers about her. That man rudely told them that Sunidhi was not here. He turned his back and did not even have the courtesy to say that she was not going to come at all. When another friend of ours found out the same info and when quite a few in the audience were leaving, we decided to make a run as well.
On another note, there was no separate section for $5 and 25. With our $25 tickets though, they for some reason let us into the VIP section (on the ground) which had folding chairs near the stage. Around 7pm I went to use the washroom which is back in stands (not near the ground) and to my surprise, they would not let me enter back into the VIP section. After asking a few times, a volunteer agreed to let me meet my wife and son to prove that we were previously allowed into the VIP section with $25 tickets. One of the volunteers was mentioning to us that only until 5pm were they allowing the $25 ticket holders into the VIP section. WTF. There was even a pre-teen boy who went to use the washroom and wasn't allowed to enter back. WTF again!
For a desi event which was supposed to attract 100,000 people the organizers only had one desi food stall and it was from a sponsor, Tandoori Flame. The website claims 200 booths but I think there were more like 20. Someone else can confirm this because I may not have walked around the entire area.
The schedule this afternoon (still does) shows Sunidhi Chauhan at 3pm. We met some lady at a hot dog stand near Union station and she claimed to be a sponsor of the event. She mentioned to us that she was told yesterday itself about about an email from Sunidhi that she missed her flight. In that case, why was the website not updated.
Don't get me started about Shankar-Ehsan-Loy missing from the schedule just days before the event.
I'm in 100% agreement with the OP. I was not knowing about Sunidhi (thanks op). Kids were getting tired so we left around 9:30pm. Glad we didn't stay thinking Sunidhi was next.
Oh...between 8:45 and 9:30ish pm an American lady Janice from Texas sang some Punjabi songs. She start the 1st songs and there were glitches with the sound system and she apologized and left he stage, came back again a few minutes later to start again.
We were expecting to see some 200 stalls too, but I think 20 was more like it.
Personally I liked the Stereo Nation. I know it was a dissappointment or a lot of folks, since most of his songs were in Punjabi. At the end the sponsor mentioned that they didn't have money for the Stereo Nation and he agreed to do the show for free (only for Torontonians !!).
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Reiki Grand Master
This show was really a big "POPAT"......
We were there around 5.30 p.m. with family friends group of 10. 7 people left at around 8.30 p.m. after all this nonsense was going on.
Luckily my son like to play at ground with some kids at VIP lounge and it was holiday so we stay there some more couple of hrs. at around 9.45 p.m. this all TV serial Stars comes with Heartthrob show like Hussian, Shakti, Kashmira Shah, teena, etc..... Will you believe that show was simply amazing they dance on Bollywood most of new songs and coreography was really good. after 10.00 p.m. Rogers Centre was really feels live. We enjoyed show upto end and we left Rogers Centre at 1.00 a.m. morning.
Rest this show was really big mistakes by Harpreet Shethi, They made a big advertisement of stars and none of them came.
I not 100% but 500% agreed with OP that this Mahautsav a damp squib!
2 cents from myside.
agree on whatever said above
The desi public understand that there are many such frauds of people organizing such shows. I would not go for such a program if the entrance was free.
I agree too.... and what about the promised fireworks? There weren't any, as mentioned on their website 
Quote:
Originally posted by mississauga2
I agree too.... and what about the promised fireworks? There weren't any, as mentioned on their website
There were fireworks... you probably didn't step outside
PS: just kidding....
I just forgot about that totally....
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Reiki Grand Master
