Posted on Thu, Oct. 28, 2004 Look to India's pop diva, Falguni, for high-energy show
By Glenn Lovell Mercury News The nine days of Navratri, a time of prayer, fasting and dance in the Indian community, ended last week. Now it's time to party in earnest. Your host once again at Oakland Coliseum Arena's post-Navratri celebration: Falguni Pathak, the undisputed Queen of Dandiya. For the uninitiated, dandiya are wooden sticks struck together to keep time during pop tunes or traditional Gujarati folk dances. Falguni, as she's known internationally, is Mumbai's exuberant, mop-top answer to disco queen Donna Summer. Only, when Falguni takes center stage, there is no last dance -- the music plays on . . . and on, sometimes until daybreak. Given local ordinances, this won't happen at Friday's show, which is expected to draw between 3,000 and 4,000 fans. Falguni -- whose boyish attire and popularity with India's emerging gay community have heightened her mystique -- promises an exciting but relatively condensed evening of song and dance (including the popular garba or women's circle dance). ``I'll perform four to four and a half hours,'' promises the Indi-pop sensation as she arrives in New York for an eight-city North American tour. ``But that's nothing. Three years ago we played the whole night, until 6 a.m.'' And how does she keep up this regimen? PowerBars? Naps between sets? The so-called ``mega-dandiya parties'' have got to take their toll. ``No!'' she replies, giggling. ``We take a break for 10 minutes every hour and a half. Of course I don't fast during Navratri or I wouldn't be able to perform. I keep up my energy with hot water, honey and glucose.'' Known for her love songs (``Maine Payal Hai Chhankai,'' ``Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi'') and frenetic music videos, Falguni purposely plays against her image as pop diva/matchmaker. Though she chose not to comment for this interview on her popularity among gays, she has told at least one Indian newspaper, ``I never made a conscious decision to dress like a boy . . . but I feel people are more intrigued because there is a vast contrast between my feminine voice and boyish dressing.'' ``Her presentation is quite controversial in India,'' says Lakshmi Baweja, producer-anchor with India Waves TV and radio in San Francisco. ``She's a girl but she dresses like a guy, and this androgynous look has caused people to talk and write about her as lesbian, which remains taboo in many parts of the country.'' Falguni fields questions about her sexuality and appeal by saying, ``Sorry, I didn't understand that -- what did you say?'' She then hands the phone to her promoter, who hangs up. In contrast to Falguni, many of those attending Friday's dance party will be wearing festive Gujarati costumes (bangles, sari, sequined vests). ``It will all be very colorful, with everyone beating their sticks together and dancing together in big circles as a good omen for prosperity,'' says Baweja. Falguni will perform with an 18-member band, which, like the singer herself, will blend the old and the new -- dhols and drums, bass guitars and keyboards. -- www.gaybombay.info ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/WfTolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Group Site: http://www.gaybombay.info ========================== NEW CLASSIFIEDS SECTION SEEKING FRIENDS? VISIT www.gaybombay.info click on classified section and type your message in the post section once the link opens What's hot? What's not? Where are the LGBT parties being held and when? Click here!! http://calendar.yahoo.com/YYY,04497/srt,0/gaybombaygroup/?v=42&POS= Post:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Digest Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] No Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Individual Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact Us:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Homepage:- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gay_bombay Unsubscribe:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gay_bombay/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
