Right Here Waiting A Cover By Faridoon Shahryar

Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx has been one of my all time favourite songs. I love the singing style of Richard Marx. The piano melody in this number is simply mesmerising. I was sceptical if I could do justice to this song by singing its cover. I practiced for three months, and shot some portions of the music video amidst the Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, Egypt. We also shot agaist the backdrop of the mediteranian sea in Alexandria (Egypt) and the ancient heritage structures in Luxor (Egypt). We also shot some portions in Srinagar (Kashmir). My friend Utkarsh Dhotekar has done the music arrangements, recording and mixing of this song. I am indebted to him for doing an awesome job. I hope you enjoy this timeless romantic number. Please do share, like, comment if you like it. Thanks!

Srinagar:A day worth a lifetime

It is unbelievable when you manage to pack in so much in the span of a day. It is as if a whole lifetime gets encapsulated in a few hours. We had a wonderful time listening to popular songs at Nageen Club near Kashmir University. It was our dinner attraction. The interaction brought the entire team together.

The day started with a morning run in the hotel campus. The chirping birds, and the moist fresh air was extremely relaxing. In the afternoon I came to know that this beautiful Hari Nivaas Hotel was actually the dreaded Papa 2 during the time when militancy was at it's peak. If you've seen 'Haider' then you'd know that Papa 2 was a jail-cum-interrogation center where militants (or were they innocent Kashmiris?) underwent third degree treatment. Many died in the same premises. All this came to an end in the late 90s and then it was refurbished. Now no one can believe that the plush walls were once witness to torture and cries.

It was wonderful interviewing Jackky Bhagnani in the woods, then we did a walk the talk segment near the Dal Lake, followed by a short segment on a Shikara as it lazed around in the Dal Lake. At the press conference in the Hari Nivas Hotel, Kashmiri journalists raised a pertinent question about an absolute lack of functioning cinema halls in Kashmir.

We went for a brief city tour in the afternoon which included a Shikara road in the Jhelum river. Houseboats dotted the sidelines of the river. There's an uncanny silence in the city for the tourists are few and far in between. I did a walk the talk interview with Jackky and Lauren in the busy market of Srinagar with gun wielding security guards from the Army following us. It was fun. Later we did another segment of my interview with Jackky and Lauren at the beatific Nishat Bagh. A vast stretch of Dal Lake stayed with us through the journey. It was extremely peaceful and calming.

In the evening I did a down the memory lane interview with Vashu Bhagnani ji. It is always a pleasure interacting with this smiling gentleman. We share mutual respect and he is very special for me. A well spent day but a day which was hugely enriching, spiritually and personally.

A day in Srinagar...tryst with pure beauty amidst glorious uncertainties

There's something about Kashmir that's irresistible. As the plane descended into Srinagar the snow capped peaks welcomed with open arms. The weather was pleasant in the afternoon. In fact it was slightly warm. I was comfortable in my T shirt. The journey from Airport to the hotel was dotted with remnants of the horrific floods. There's a strong presence of Army so you can't say everything is normal. An automatic-gun-weilding soldier was manning the traffic too.

The hotel is located in a lovely location surrounded by huge mountains, vast gardens, neatly manicured flower beds blessed with beautiful seasonal flowers. The food was simple yet delicious. It was served with a lot of warmth. Khahva had a pinch of Zaaffran and the aroma was very freshening. As I opened the tap, the cold water felt as if I've put my hands in a free flowing mountain stream.

In the evening I interviewed Jackky Bhagnani and Laurein, the stars of Vashu Bhagnani's 'Welcome 2 Karachi' on an open bus. It was fun to chat with them. The Shikara ride on the legendary Dal Lake was an awesome experience. It was here that I experienced a unique 'Online' shopping idea. Merchants approached us on their Shikaras and sold us their wares in a jovial manner. I bought something or the other from all of them. It was good stuff for sure but the intention was to help out the local Kashmiris who've been struck by terrorism and now the floods that has pushed them back considerably. The salesmen-merchants emphasised their 'Indian' credentials to Impress us. It was very obvious that more than any 'Azaadi' what they want the most is for opportunities for their businesses to flourish. And for that they desperately need Tourism to return to Kashmir in a big way. It is summer season, the paradise is blooming in full glory but the patrons of beauty are few and far in between.

We had dinner at Taj Hotel. Thankfully we got Wi fi there and were able to send our video footage. 3G connectivity is a problem. I was told that apart from the altitude, the security concern is the other reason for lack of 3G connectivity in Kashmir. I don't have any official confirmation on that though. After dinner I spent some time alone at the hotel garden observing a half lighted city. Wonderfully pleasant cold breeze caressed me. Extremely fresh and rejuvenating. All I can do is pray for this Jannat on earth and genuinely hope that the tourism gets revived in a big way. Good night!