Bollywood singer Papon extended a mic towards the crowd and two students climbed up the stage, with the help of security, to accompany the artiste in singing the melodious lyrics of his National Award-winning song, Moh Moh Ke Dhaage. This is how the artiste regaled thousands of youngsters who had gathered at Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies’ (SSCBS) campus in Rohini for its annual cultural fest, Crescendo ’25.
A starry Thursday sky above witnessed shimmering lights below when phone torches lit up the evening, unfolding a pandora’s box of nostalgia, poetry and tribute as Papon reminisced his #CampusKeDin at Delhi University. “I’ve studied in Delhi University, so performing here is very special to me,” said Papon, as he shared one incident after another from his college days, before every song, and enraptured the students leaving them breathing in a surreal musical experience.
‘Manifest kiya ki mujhe stage par bulayenge’
It wasn’t a fluke that Papon invited some students on stage to have a jam session. It was when he spotted a student from holding up her phone with ‘Duet?’ typed on the screen — a request that caught the singer’s eye — that he welcomed a student named Kashish Kaul, from Keshav Mahavidyalaya, and the security helped her get on the stage. That’s when the singer graciously gave her a mic and the two sang his iconic song, Moh Moh Ke Dhaage, together. Inviting a male singer on stage, Papon welcomes Satyam Anand, to join in. The first-year student of BA (Hons) Hindi at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, later told us, “Maine manifest kiya tha ki Papon sir mujhe stage par bulayenge or unhone bula liya! I was so nervous, but it felt amazing. I’m a huge fan of sir, and I feel truly grateful.”
Lata to Lenon: An ode to the legends
From Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar to John Lennon’s songs, Papon’s performance at SSCBS was nothing short of a tribute to several legendary singers, who he grew up listening to during his college days. Opening the concert with Tu Jo Mila by late singer KK, he went on to sing popular chartbusters Sara Zamana, Om Shanti Om, Pehla Nasha, and Imagine (by John Lennon). Aditya Mehra, a final-year student of BSc (Hons) Computer Science at SSCBS, said: “He performed to some old tracks, and even though the crowd was all young, everyone enjoyed excitedly and asked for encore.”
Bihu at DU: Heritage hues
The most unexpected moment of the event unfolded when Papon and his crew spontaneously broke into traditional Bihu songs and dance, offering a heartfelt tribute to Assam’s rich cultural heritage. “India is truly amazing because we have so many New Years. We never want the celebrations to end! So, we’re going to celebrate with some Bihu dance for you,” said the singer as he threw a gamocha (traditional Assamese cloth) around his neck and took to singing folk songs in full form!
Story by Tanvi Consul
