Sa Re Ga Ma... tracks Lalu Prasad Yadav

Mumbai's hardliners often crib about the influx of Biharis in the city but the entry of one humorous Bihari has always brought a smile on many faces. Union Railway minister of India Lalu (sometimes spelt as Laloo) Prasad Yadav will be a special guest on Zee's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 this Saturday. With the hurly-burly politician on the show, it was non-stop entertainment on the sets. Before coming to Mumbai, Lalu had made it clear that he would like all the contestants to be dressed in traditional clothes. The participants were more than happy to oblige their guest. They all wore traditional clothes and most of them sang Bhojpuri songs. Even the sets were given a traditional look with artificial trees, goats and their chaara (fodder) (The creative heads didn't mean any offence to the minister) Pakistan's Amanat Ali surprised all and more so Laluji as he sang the Bhojpuri number Kashi heele Mathura heele…tohri lachke jab kamriya. Expectedly, Laluji heaped praises on him and said "you're the best. Before coming here, I was told about your prowess and I'm glad that you haven't disappointed me." So, how difficult it was for a Pakistani contestant to sing a Bhojpuri song? Amanat replied, "For a singer language should never be a barrier. Versatility is essential to become a good signer. Since childhood, I've been an avid admirer of Laluji. Thus, I wanted to make him feel happy." Well, that's not at all. Our Pakistani contestant took the liberty of telling the minister that he would like to don a similar hairstyle as him. Never one to turn down a request, Lalu said that he will have to come to Delhi and meet his hair dresser. Lalu Yadav got nostalgic when Kolkata's Aneek Dhar sang his favorite track 'sa ra ra ra ra, dekho holi aaye re". The RJD (Rashtriya Janta Dal) chief revealed that he used to sing this song during his college days. If Amanat wanted the same hairstyle as Lalu, Aneek wanted to lift the minister. However, mantriji turned down his request saying that he is little tired. Bhojpuri was the order of the day and the contestants simmered in it completely. The girls draped lehnga-choli while the boys put on their kurta-pyjama. The likes of Amanat, Aneek, Mussarat and Raja even chewed paan (beetle leaves). While all contestants chipped in with impressive performances, Laluji was delighted to meet Chattishgarh's Sumedha Karmahe. He called Sumedha as 'Bihar ki Beti'. The gorgeous singer is quick to say that Chattisgarh was a part of Madhya Pradesh. Apparently, Sumedha sang Rajasthani song 'Morni bagaan ma' from the film Lamhe. When asked why she didn't choose a Bhojpuri song, Sumedha replied, "A lot of people think that I'm a Bihari but I'm not. I can't converse in Bhojpuri, thus I chose a different track. Luckily, Laluji liked my performance."