What: Bollywood Monster Mashup (BMM) Concert
When/Where: Friday, July 22 at Celebration Square in Mississauga at 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Who: Bishakh Jyoti and Sanchari Bose will headline the concert. Dance troupe Afsana, the Destiny dancers and Bollywood hits by Mohua and Dhiraj

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Just a quick note to let y’all know, Toronto Desi Diaries is proud to be a media partner for MonstrARTity’s 2016 Bollywood Monster Mashup (BMM) events.

As a blogger/journalist, I am leery of endorsing brands, but I had no conflict when I said “yes” to BMM folks. Variety of reasons dictated this : (a) they’re one of the biggest South Asian festivals in Canada (b) I love how they’re engaging not just the desis, but the mainstream population as well. Their line-up includes many fusion elements that blend the best of east and west. So let’s get on with it, shall we?

Bollywood Monster Mashup (BMM) is a three-day festival.

The first component, BMM does Brampton, is happening, Saturday, July 16 at 9 p.m. at Spot 1 Grill on Rutherford Rd. in Brampton. Got your tickets yet?

This blog is about the concert on July 22.

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So, who’s Bishakh?

I know many folks watch the Indian Music Reality TV show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and if you’re one of them, you probably know pretty much everything I have to say about him.

Anyway here’s the Coles note on the rising stars of Bollywood’s playback singing world:
Support and encouragement from his family led Bishakh to audition for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, which he won in 2007 and took second place in 2011.

He was nominated for Best Music Director at the New York Film Festival and Florence Festival for Mrs. Scooter. He was also nominated for a Mirchi Music award for Best Music Director for his compositions in Babloo Happy Hai.

Bishakh loves travelling and an important advice he’s gotten during his travels is, “to sing from heart.” Which is precisely what he will do, Friday, July 22.

Another alumni:

Sanchari, much like Bishakh, is a fellow alumnus of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. She took the crown in 2002-2003 and went on to also win the “Amul Star Voice of India” contest in 2007.

“It really makes me happy when I see the smiles in people’s faces when they listen to my music or watching me perform,” Sanchari penned in an online site. “For me when one can create a complete silence among the audience with a combination of smile and tears, that means you have hit the target.”

Sanchari has won dozens of awards for her dulcet voice in her home state – Madhya Pradesh (she’s from Jabalpur) and performed more than 1,000 shows .

She has lent her voice as a playback singer for movies like The World Before Her, by Anurag Kashyap, Kabab Mein Haddi with Daler Mahendi and released a ghazal album ASHQ with Jaswinder Singh.

The concert is free. For more information visit  here.