Hrithik’s live show in Delhi:

By Bollywood Hungama -

February 24, 2001 - 12:00 AM IST

In a display of the strength of the Hrithik juggernaut, 40,000 people turned up to watch at the Roshans' Show at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, New Delhi, on Friday. After lot of hiccups, the most waited show came live. Initially denied permission to conduct the show, the Delhi Police relented only on the condition that the audience strength be restricted to 60000. Unfortunately the high prices of tickets ensured that lot of eager fans and Hrithik aficionados could not attend the show live. The tickets were priced at Rs. 2000 or lower. Finally only 20000 tickets could be sold, the other 20000 being sponsor passes, show promotion prizes, guests, celebrities and VIPs. The show however was brilliant. Clouds of artificial smoke, misty haze around the sets, effective strobe lighting ensured a perfect backdrop to the dramatic entry of a masked Hrithik. He made a dramatic entrance in a shimmering suit and drove the audience into frenzy. Courting nationalist sentiments, Hrithik opened the show with a passionate evocation 'Mere Watan, Mere Watan' with the tricolor dropping down on shows banner on the stage backdrop. This was just after the opening martial dance sequence that ended with Hrithik throwing his mask at the audience. Then he zapped across the stadium in a trolley attached to a crane, waving to the crowd that was struggling for a closer glimpse of their idol. The trolley landed Hrithik on the stage. Wearing a silver salwar and sleeveless vest, he displayed his dance magic to the tune of Rind Posh Maal, from Mission Kashmir. The song was earlier in a controversy due to allegations of plagiarism, which were settled out of court. In between the performances, he revealed the extent of his nervousness when he admitted that Archana Puran Singh accosted him in the ladies toilet that he went in to due to his show jitters. Pandering to the crowd he labeled Delhi as "Hindustan ka dil" and announced that he was there to win the heart of Hindustan -- Delhi. The crowd's applause was proof that he was the lord of all that he surveyed. He went on to perform more numbers from Mission Kashmir with Namrata Shirodkar and Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai heroine Amisha Patel. He ended with Dil ne dil ko pukara, again from Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, with Patel and Shirodkar. Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan, Babul Supriyo and Mohd Aziz rendered songs composed by Hritik's uncle, music composer Rajesh Roshan, in-between his performances. Rajesh handled the orchestra, while Hrithik's wife Suzanne was in the first row of the audience. Rakesh Roshan, commented that he was very happy with the security arrangements and the response they got from the people. A documentary bringing the terrible plight of the quake victims, Remains of a Republic Day by Ramesh Kalwani was also screened at the show. The show also included the auction of a Maruti Wagon R. The money raised from the auction will be donated for the benefit of the Gujarat quake victims.