Disguising as an old ‘roadside ustaad’, Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam has featured in an online video, part of a social experiment seeking to capture the joyful effect of music on people’s daily life.
Titled, “The Roadside Ustaad”, the social experiment by Culture Machine’s digital channel, Being Indian, captures the reaction of Mumbaikars as they stop by to listen the melodious voice of the old man, albeit not realising it’s Sonu.
The video is an experiment in the busy lanes of Juhu here where the pedestrians take notice of an old man singing in melodious voice with many pausing to enjoy a few moments but forced to continue to hurry and move on with their lives.
“I went without any expectations, totally bereft of any awkwardness for the way I was looking and what I was about to subject myself to. For the first time, I was not me, the make-up was so good and authentic,” Sonu, 42, said in a statement.
“People, who were standing so close to me, couldn’t recognise me. I was carrying the harmonium that my parents bought when I was born. It was all so humbling. From such an unfamiliar zone, I managed to procure something,” the “Abhi Mujh Mei Kahin” hitmaker said.
Culture Machine has earlier collaborated with many Bollywood stars like Kalki Koechlin and Radhika Apte for different social experiments.
