Naresh Iyer rocks!

Although a year late, but it was worth the wait for young singing sensation and AR Rahman’s protégé Naresh Iyer. The ‘Super’ singer was chatting on the internet catching up with his friends at his Matunga flat in Mumbai when the news broke in that he has won the National Film Awards, 2005 for best playback singing for Rang De Basanti’s ‘Roobaru’.

In fact Roobaru was his debut song and as a debutant he boasts of sharing the credits for the song with AR Rahman and now this song has won him a national award. Due to litigation in Delhi High Court, the announcement of the 2005 National Awards were on hold until it was finally cleared and announced in August 2007, almost a year late.

“News was in the air that I was getting it. But I was anxiously waiting for announcement. Main thing for me was that the song was doing well. I was confident that I will get the award, but with this official stamp on the song, I can say that mission is accomplished. There’s a sense of completeness in this song now,” he says.

The 26-year-old, however, doesn’t forget to share the credit for success of his song. “I thank AR Rahman sir who has guided me throughout my journey. Also I want to thank Raakesh Omprakash Mehra and lyricist Prasoon Joshi who banked on a debutant like me for this song. Actually all credit should go to them, as they were the one to tolerate a newcomer like me.”

Recalling the incident of him accidentally getting to sing Roobaru, Iyer says, “It was at 4.20 am after almost 12 hours of tiring recording session, that Rahman sir asked me to sing Roobaroo. I never knew that my version would be used for the movie. I was dead tired, but who would miss such an opportunity? I recorded the song but made a mistake in two lines. Though Rahman sir was supposed to sing the whole track himself later, when the film's music was released, I came to know that he had used my track. The part where I had made a mistake was sung by him and thus I got to share credit for this song with him. This was my first Hindi film and I can just thank my stars for this."

However, stardom for Naresh has mostly come in the southern parts of India as being a Rahman protégé, Naresh is mostly involved in regional language films. “In Hindi, I would be singing for the movie Woodstock Villa and I have sung couple of hindi songs for Rahman sir’s upcoming movie, although I don’t know the name of the movie,” he says. “Last one year has been quite busy. I have been traveling a lot meeting a lot of people and I hardly get time to spend with myself and my family members. Me and my mum both miss each other,” he says.

In fact Naresh was doing a course in Chartered Accountancy before being spotted by AR Rahman in Channel V’s Super Singer talent hunt. Although Naresh didn’t win the show, but Rahman found his protégé in him and the rest as they say is history.

“I should thank my family as they supported in my endeavours. They were very cooperative and showed no resistance at all when I ventured out to become a singer. Success is not easy in creative field but they stood behind me. Moreover, my granny wanted me to become a singer. Had she been alive, she would have been happy.”

Being a playback singer has its own disadvantages since visibility is nil or very less. But Naresh seems to be lucky enough. “Down South, I get called up for lots of television shows. I make it a point to be visible enough for people to recognize me. But visibility or no visibility, one has to take all in your stride,” he quips.
However, what may surprise you is despite being a singer, Naresh Iyer hardly listens to music. “I am not an ardent listener at all. I just listen sometimes to catch up with the latest style of singing and music. Although I love MLTR,” he says.

Wagah-Attari: Celebrating 60 years of Freedom

After a successful launch of his second album – Jhoomo Re — singer Kailash Kher is gearing up for another musical spectacle at the Wagah-Attari border as part of celebrations for the 60 years of India and Pakistan’s independence.

“I would be performing along with AR Rahman. Rahman once sang Gurus of Peace along with the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This time I would be jamming with Rahman for the rendition of this song,” says Kailash Kher. Apart from the two, Sivamani would be performing in the concert.

The concert is being organized by Friends Without Borders in conjunction with Routes to Roots. The main attraction of the concert is that singers will perform from two stages — one in India and one in Pakistan — to be set on either side of the border on August 14.

Among the Pakistani musicians, great Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shafqat Amanat Ali and Atif Aslam would be performing from across the Wagah border. The concert would be hosted by celebrities include Bollywood great Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Wasim Akram and Shainne Malik.

“It’s a novel concept and I am honoured to be a part of it,” says Kher. “This concert is an effort to bind the two countries together with music. When there is no line in the hearts, then why should be there on land. If there’s a line on one’s heart, then the person gets a heart attack. Just think what will happen to land when people draw line on it to divide it,” he adds.

In fact, Kher is excited about singing rendition of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, as he idolizes him. “I am greatly inspired by his selection of the lyrics. I am a sufi singer too, but when it comes to listening it’s just Nusratji. I don’t listen to other singers. I am happy that Sufi has gained much acceptance now. It is the newest flavour of music and has a blend of spiritual as well as entertainment.”

Sex, Kink and Delhi

Call it Western culture influence or anything, kinky sex has become the IN thing. A lot many couples are experimenting with their sexual tastes. There is a kind of bedroom revolution among Delhiites. However, it is also causing breakdown of marriages and relationship troubles as few are able to cope with their partners’ weird sexual desires.

Experts say one of the main reason for several such couple heading for divorce is their failure to understand simple fact that sex is a two way process and both partners have to enjoy it and be comfortable doing the act. But sometimes the situation takes an ugly turn as in the case of Harpreet Singh Suri who has been arrested for raping and forcing his wife to do anal sex.

While Singh's case is expection, there are several others who are enjoying bedroom experiments. Men and women both have now fewer inhibitions about talking about their preferences and sexual exploits. Eight years back when Michelle (All names of case studies in the story have been changed), then studying in Delhi University's north campus college, refused for a fellatio and anal sex with her boyfriend. Almost eight years later, working in an advertisement agency, craves for sex and loves fellatio and anal sex.

"There were inhibitions earlier when I was in college. Sex for me till then was just missionary position. Initially I used to enjoy it but my boyfriend used to hate me for that. I know every man's dream is a blowjob but I wasn't prepared for that. But after couple of years it got boring and then I started experimenting new positions and I loved it. Now I don't hesitate to perform fellatio on my boyfriend even in a moving car. It's so exciting," says the 29-year-old Vasant Kunj resident.

Dr Surendra Nath, Head, Department of Anthropology, Delhi University says, "Media is always full of news about sodomy, oral, anal and even group sex. When people read and see in television about this, they also feel adventurous and the need to experiment. They too want to see the different side of sex and hence the behavioral changes in society."

Take the case of 21-year-old Shikha, a JNU student. Her boyfriend got a shock when she asked him to have sex in the common bathroom of the hostel instead of his hostel room. "I love having sex in public places. The feeling of getting caught by others while having sex makes it kinkier. My boyfriend got a complete shock when I asked him to pee on my vagina in hostel bathroom. I love it, but my boyfriend hates it. But he cannot help it. Whatever I say he has to do it," she adds.

30-year-old Amit, a Sainik Farm resident, says, "I have many sex partners and I shuffle around with them. Although I always believe in protective sex but sometimes the demands of girls are such that it's not possible with a condom. One of my girlfriend asked me to make out with her in a moving car. And while riding on me she asked 'what if my mom was on top of you'. I was completely shocked when I heard. Once another girl asked me to have sex inside the rest room of All American Diners in India Habitat Centre. After we were done with it, the guard confronted me when I came out. He knew what exactly had happened. As I am a regular there, I just walked off." Amit gets his HIV test done every four months. "It's so risky these days. But sometimes I really feel what will happen to them when they get married. How would their husbands react?" he says.

"With husband it's just plain simple missionary position sex. All these experiments are meant to be done with only boyfriends or sex partners," says 22-year-old Ruchi, an executive working with a PR company. "Blowjobs and anal sex excites me. But I can't do it with my boyfriend as I am getting married to him. So I have a sex partner too with whom I simply practice uninhibited sex. We meet once a week and it's a kind of relaxation therapy for me, a stress buster.

25-year-old Shabana, a Vasant Vihar resident, says, "When I was in Class IX, our school took us out for picnic to Lodhi garden. I along with my friend Swati saw a guy screwing a girl behind the bushes. I got excited about this and one night few years later I asked my boyfriend to have sex at the same spot. We sneaked in the park and spent some two hours there fondling and groping each other. It was exciting."

Central Asian Flavours of Delhi

The Uzbek prostitutes operating from Lajpat Nagar

Sex, prostitutes and cocaine forms an integral part of the Delhi's underbelly. Especially, white-skinned prostitutes from the CIS countries are most sought after but it's not easy to lay your hands on them. You should be connected within the sleaze network in order to lay one. The catch is you should know the ring leaders namely Neelam, Nafisa, Nargis, Sofia, Diana or Angelina, operating from Lajpat Nagar, under whose directions they work. On Wednesday cops arrested Neelam from Lajpat Nagar after residents complaint about their illegal activites. Five call girls from Uzbekistan who were part of the sex racket were also arrested.

So how these sex racket runs? From where these girls come? These blonde chicks come from all countries but most of them in Delhi are either from Russia, Ukraine or Uzbekistan. They come on a three-month tourist visa to India. But coming here isn't easy job. They have to bribe the officials in Indian embassy in their respective countries, through agents. India and Dubai are the hotspots for these prostitutes. Some even try a visa for Doha , although it's a risky affair there.

According to an Uzbeki prostitute operating in Delhi, "We have three months to earn money in Delhi. Earnings of one month takes care of the bribes that we paid to get a tourist visa here and earnings of the rest two months is what we take back home. It also takes care of legal expenses, if any, incurred if we land in a soup."

And one of the biggest clients of these chicks in city are the event management people who sadly have expanded their role of organizing entertainment party to procuring these girls for affluents clients. Event managers often keep "Madam" of these girls on speed dial to entertain their high profile clients including business executives who are on official visit. In one such chance encounter with an event manager who was organizing girls for rich clients, I was surprised to see that the clients turned out to be a well-known businessmen and a small time politician from UP who also owns malls. Surprisingly the venue for the meeting was one of the various State sadans at posh Chanakyapuri. The politician was staying there and he had contacted the event manager to supply these white-skinned girls for entertainment.

It's pretty obvious when you get a blonde to govt sadan there are fears of getting caught. So when the event management guy, called the ring leader, he kept his fingers crossed. Although the ring leader, let's call her Nafisa, knew this chap, but still asked, "Where will you take her? We only allow girls to private places. You cannot take her to any government property. Only to city's five star hotels, if you can manage or private residences in south Delhi or private farmhouses. The girl doesn't know English and all dealings through phone only."

The event management guy, let's call him Sid, didn't tell her that he would take her to govt Sadan. Deal was fixed. For every shot it he was supposed to pay Rs 3,000 to her and not more than two men per girl. He had to cater to two girls hence he asked for only one. Nafisa knew Sid's car number and so she asked him to give a missed call to her once he reaches next to Sai temple at Amar Colony in Lajpat Nagar.

At around 1 am Sid reached the designated place. It was dark and the air standstill. One could hear the whistling of the gatekeeper somewhere in the bylanes of Amar Colony. Slowly the car door opened and a five-feet three-inches tall girl entered the car and settled in the rear seat. Well, this one had jet black hair, clean skin, blue Caucasian eyes, a great figure wearing blue denim jeans and laced black top with her hair falling free and black ankle-length boots. She could be easily mistaken for a member of a girl band.

After whizzing past the narrow lanes of Lajpat Nagar, and crossing the cops' barrier, the car hit the Ring Road. There was a stunned silence inside the car. The monotony was broken soon as her cellphone rang. Nafisa called her to check if everything was 'Ok'. Well it wasn't Nafisa, it was another friend of hers' who was talking to her in her native language. (Later Sid told that they all know English but pretend to customers that they are alien to English) The girl was down with her menstrual cycle so was at home and hence was in touch with all her colleagues who were on duty doing favours to the rich and famous of the society.

As the car parked into the driveway of govt sadan in Chanakyapuri, Nafisa called up Sid. The girl behind had told her that the car was in Chanakyapuri and Nafisa was fuming over it. After Sid pacified her and told her that there are no chances of getting caught, she agreed and let Sid take her to the Sadan. Nafisa clearly told Sid that it's Rs 3,000 per shot. The businessman knew the rules of the game and took his own time. 'Coz once a guy cums it's considered to be a shot. The politician was unaware. Excited to the hilt he asked her to do fellatio on him. He was done in 15 minutes. The deal with Sid was only one single shot per person. Thus the girl politely wore her clothes and sat on the sofa and called Nafisa telling her that she was done.

While Sid was waiting in the car, he proceeded to the room to fetch the girl. Politician was agitated and asked her for another shot. She clearly told in broken English that she was ready but they need to pay another 3k in advance to do so. This was the first time the girl spoke in broken English. The politician in his drunken stupor held the girl by her hair. Before things could turn ugly, Sid entered the room and took the girl away. It was 3 am and Nafisa called Sid to drop her back as there's another client waiting to pick her up. Another client, another bed, well the sleaze can’t stop here in Delhi.