Rehan Siddiqi Makes History – Sonu and Neha Rock the NRG

Rehan Siddqi with Sonu Nigam

By Dr Sarita Mehta

HOUSTON: On Saturday, April 20th, NRG Arena, the massive venue in the Reliant Park complex, which can seat 8,500 was packed to the limit, with extra seats brought in to adjust and seat many more. At last count, more than 9,000 people pored in from all over the surrounding cities communities and even from Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and many more to attend the year’s premier entertainment event, the ‘Klose to My Life’, live concert by Sonu Nigam and Neha Kakkar.

Rehan Siddiqi, a successful business owner, concert producer and radio station personality and operator has more than 23 years experience in the music and radio industry. He has produced over 400 successful concerts with many of the biggest stars from South Asia and Bollywood and proved himself time and again as one of the finest show business promoters. His shows have consistently proved that Houston has the biggest crowd and they beat every other venue in the US.

And the Sonu-Neha show was no less. The gates opened at 7:30 pm, and though we arrived at 7:00pm, the lines were so long, and the parking place was fully packed at it took us around one hour to reach the hall.

The evening began with Neha Kakkar, an Indian Bollywood singer and performer who competed on season 2 of the television reality show “Indian Idol” in 2006 and was a judge on the tenth season of the same show. She has also appeared in Comedy Circus Ke Taansen in 2014 on Sony TV. In 2008, she launched her first album, Neha-The Rock Star. Neha opned up the concert with songs from 8:45 to 10:00pm and warmed up the audiencekept the audience singing and dancing, and bringing out widely popular new songs, Mila ho tum, Kala Chashma, Gali Gali Mei, Ankh Mara.

Then came the star of the evening, Sonu Nigam, and he was warmed welcomed with whistling and sapplause. He started with the humble number ‘Shukhran Allah’ and then came,’ Ajeeb ittefaq hai’ rendered with trademark perfection. Sonu sang from10:15 to 11:45pm, adding Abhi Mujh mein, Kal ho na ho, Suraj hua madham, Main hoon na. His last solo song was Abhi Mujg mein Kahin Baak i hai thodi Jindagi

The two stars closed out the evening together from 11:45 to 12:30 am with a riveting medley of Sonu’s and Neha’s popular songs, both of them were intertwined their numbers in turns.

Rehan expressed gratitude to Sheila Jackson Lee, Congress women, who is currently the US. Representative for Texas’s 18th congressional district, currently serving in her 13th term in the House for her support to help get visas for the performers for this US tour. In her speech she expressed that she was highly impressed by the show.

Rehan Siddqi with Neha Kakkar

Siddiqi extended his special thanks to Shaukat of Aga’s Restaurant.
The show was brought together by Mr, Entertainment himself, Rehan Siddiqi, along with Flash Brush Production, in association with Shri Balaji Entertainment & 27th Investment.

“Houston brought the biggest crowed and beat the record in the US ” gushed Rehan. “Thank you Houston!” Rehan was thrilled that it was supported by every element of the desi community – Indian, Pakistani, Gujarati, South Indians. “It shows the power of music,” he said excitedly, adding, “Music has no boundaries.” Rehan has just announced the line up for his upcoming shows: in June Guru Randhava; July Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Podwal; August Shreya Goshal and many more stars in September.