Thanks to Yo Yo, The Lungi makes a comeback to Bollywood

Honey Singh's Lungi Dance from Chennai Express has got the nation revved up for a good time on the dancefloor.

Funny, how the Lungi seems to have been a part of Hindi cinema from the time it was worn by Meena Kumari in Pakeezah for the song Mausam hai aashiqana. The lungi became a fashion statement for the ladies thereafter. We had Sharmila Tagore, Waheeda Rehman and Jaya Bhaduri in a lungi in more films than one.

Except for Mehmood who was most comfortable sporting a lungi, leading men were shy of being seen in a lungi even if they were seen sleeping in a film.

A superstar of the 1960s and 70s says, I was very comfortable wearing a lungi at home. But whenever I was asked to wear a lungi for a film, I shied away. I remember there was a scene in a film where I was shown sleeping in my bed. The director suggested I wear a lungi. I quickly had it changed to a night-suit.

It was Amitabh Bachchan who broke the jinx over lungis in films. It was his friend Manmohan Desai who convinced the Big B to get into a lungi and woo Hema Malini in the film Desh Premee with the song Khatoon ki khidmat mein salaam apan ka that was a clear homage to Mehmood. 

The Big B was very close to Mehmood. This lungi song was the Big B's homage. 

The song situation and the Big B's lungi look was a big hit. 

But somehow the lungi never became an integral apparel for Hindi cinema. Now with Shah Rukh Khan and Honey Singh getting into lungis to do the Lungi dance perhaps we can hope for a widespread legitimization of the lungi in our films. 
Honey Singh who shot the Lungi number with Shah Rukh recently says he is very comfortable in the lungi. I don't know why celebrities shy away from wearing a lungi in public. I'd happily be seen in one on stage.

In fact Honey Singh now plans a live concert wearing a lungi.

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Honey Singh's Brown Rang most trending video of 2012

Punjabi rapper YoYo Honey Singh's "Brown Rang" emerged as the most trending video in 2012 in India, according to a report released by YouTube, a video sharing site.

According to YouTube in Rewind, the song beat the popular Korean song "Gangnam Style" that stood at the second place in the list followed by "Mashallah" from the film "Ek Tha Tiger" on third.

Yoyo has two songs on the list, including "High Heels" on fourth position.

The site came out with the list of most watched videos not just based on views, but also shares, searches, likes and responses to identify the 10 videos that everybody was talking about in 2012.

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Yo Yo Honey Singh rocks Kolkata

The first Live Concert by Punjabi singer Honey Singh and his team Mafia Mundeer at Swabhumi in Kolkata saw an enormous hype.

"The Managers" organized the live concert with Honey Singh, also known as Yo Yo Honey Singh, who is a Punjabi rapper and mixer, music producer, singer and actor. His recent hits include 'Angrezi Beat' and 'Main Sharabi  from the movie Cocktail.

Mafia Mundeer (a group of 5 singers) also came along with him for the concert.

The programme also had a live laser show and dancers performing on various Bollywood numbers by Gurukul Dance Troupe, live fashion show along with DJ Harish and DJ Yogi.

The show started from 7 pm on Sunday and was anchored by Swati Verma from Delhi.

Honey Singh's bouncers could be seen pushing the crowd to make way for the rapping sensation.

And once he reached the performing arena the fans went crazy, the roads went choc-a-block.

The audience's collective response at seeing Singh on stage was thunderous.

The chant of, `yo yo, ` got louder and reached an ear-shattering crescendo.

He came, flashed a smile waving his hands towards the audience.

As the singer, along with other members of Mafia Mundeer, Alfaz, Jay Star, Mani Aujla, prepared to take stage for his concert, the crowd went berserk and cameras flashed non-stop.

After the slightly sedate beginning, he moved on to much peppier numbers like Lak 28 kudi da and Dope Shope.

In between he kept the gimmicks flowing.

Singh said, `I am a man from a small family and a small village. But thanks to God, I travelled far and wide.`

This earned him a round of applause.

`I head to Bollywood only when the offers come with respect for my art. I am not here to sell myself. Whether it's Hindi or Punjabi I will sing only in the language of our country, ` he added.

Singh performed for about an hour in front of thousands of crowd who could be seen humming the lyrics and dancing to his tunes.

And to avoid any chaos he was made to leave the venue while his last song of the evening was half way through, but still the fans ran behind his vanity, some managed to even climb on the bumper but his security took him away safely.

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