Concert review: Salim-Sulaiman get Dubai dancing to their tunes

There were moments of high and unchecked, raw emotion as Salim and Sulaiman Merchant’s sublime melodies drew a standing ovation and a thunderous applause that resonated around the packed Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday night.

The Bollywood musical duo, who returned together to a Dubai stage after two years (not counting Salim’s gig at Expo 2020 last year), were electrifying in their efforts to keep the energy flowing with their arsenal of memorable music, coupled with powerful performances by singers Raj Pandit, Salman Ali and Bhoomi Trivedi.

Capturing the attention of a live audience for close to three hours requires just the right mix of soulful music and machination, with Salim setting the tone at the very start of the concert by belting out one of his biggest hits, ‘Shukran Allah’ from ‘Kurbaan’, followed by a serious of melodious tracks that brought out Pandit on the vocals of ‘Ali Maula’, also from ‘Kurbaan’, ‘Yeh Honsla’ from ‘Dor’ and ‘Haule Haule’ from ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’.

Trivedi soon had her moment to shine, crooning her biggest hit, ‘Ram Chahe Leela’, from ‘Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram Leela’, before slipping back into the world of Salim-Sulaiman to lend her vocals to a track they had composed for ‘Heroine’, the racy ‘Halkat Jawani’.

As we slipped into the second hour of the performances, Salman Ali was brought out for his debut act in Dubai, with his powerful vocals elevating the mood of the night with songs such as ‘Sajda’ from ‘My Name is Khan’ and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Mere Rashke Qamar’.

With the mood distinctly changed in the arena, it was a time to celebrate some inspiring Sufi Qawwali, with Salim and Sulaiman singing their prayer ‘Bismillah’ as a touching tribute to all those who have experienced loss and unspeakable tragedy in the past two years as the world battled the COVID-19 pandemic. Tears flowed unchecked, with Ali’s piercing voice adding a breathtaking finesse to the performance.

As the minutes ticked by, knowing that the night was now heading towards its final act, Salim and Sulaiman wasted no time in bringing out their star singers for medley that electrified the night. Here were five award-winning performers, united in talent and their love for melodies, doing what they do best — reveling in the magic of music.

From Asha Bhosle’s ‘Dum Maro Dum’ and ‘Piya Tu’, to Bappi Lahiri’s ‘Koi Yahan’ to a Bryan Adams ode with the ‘Summer of ‘69’, the music ebbed and flowed with abandoned, leading towards a crescendo that featured Salim-Sulaiman’s biggest hit, ‘Ainvayi Ainvayi’ from ‘Band Baaja Baraat’. People were on their feet, dancing with abandon with the performers clearly feeding off that energy.

As the night came to an end of the PME organised concert, it was with a musical high that many in the audience will take back with them as a memory to be cherished in years to come.