A Russian sings Dard-e-Disco
When the media delegation accompanying the prime minister to Russia was invited to a dinner at the Khwaja Nasiruddin restaurant in Moscow on Sunday night by the ministry of external affairs's charming Joint Secretary (External Publicity) Navtej Sarna (fans of his first novel We Weren't Lovers Like That, look out for his next novel in April), one didn't think one's breath would be taken away.
Media dinners are traditionally gabfests where we journos hold forth on what the government needs to do to the people who make policy (overheard at this event: one journalist telling one very important policy-maker, "The nuclear deal is dead! It is time you moved on") or occasions where we pin down likely sources and pump them for information (key target at this dinner: India's ambassador Prabhat Shukla, who played a stellar role as our high commissioner in Australia in securing Mohammad Haneef's release; alas, mum was the word for the suave diplomat on what tactics he used to help Haneef).
After a bevy of belly dancers (you can't really think Middle Eastern food without such accompanying entertainment) had performed their cameos along came Elman RajSur, a Russian native of the Central Asian republic of Azerbaijan.
In Russia, where Hindi films are now clearly out of favour, the young man displayed an amazing command over Bollywood song, rendering several hits from across generations.
Earlier on Rediff: From Russia, with love for Hindi songs
In the coming days we will present glimpses of Elman's talent, beginning today with Om Shanti Om's Dard-e-Disco. SRK will be pleased.
Text and video: Nikhil Lakshman
Also Read: SRK hasn't conquered Russia yet
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