Toronto’s Nick Pandya will sweep you off your feet with his voice

Toronto Desi Diaries is baaack.

It was a long hiatus. This blog’s purpose was always to connect me to my true passion, writing. There was a disconnect. I had gotten lost.

Anyway, the Summer of 2020—much like the year itself— is all about recalibrating, readjusting and gradually merging into the lanes of normalcy (whatever that is).

If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught me, it is: Life will keep delivering the same lesson until you learn from it.

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This year’s, BollywoodMonster Mashup (BMM) will take place Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 via Facebook. Tune in to Facebook.com/BollywoodMashup at 6 p.m. (EST) to go on a scintillating evening of dance and music.

Headlining the virtual concert on Friday, July 24 is Canada’s most popular transplant to Bollywood – Sunny Leone. Sunny will perform a few of her hits, and afterwards take part in a live chat.

Arjuna Harjai, a critically-acclaimed Bollywood composer/ singer of the Choti Choti Gal (Motichoor Chaknachoor) and O Soniye (Titoo MBA) fame, will also present a selection of his foot-tapping Bollywood melodies.

On Saturday, July 25, Meet Bros and Khushboo Grewal will take on the entertaining responsibilities. Meet Bros (Harmeet and Manmeet Singh) are the men behind chartbusters such as “Lamborghini” (Jai Mummy Di), “Main Tera Boyfriend” (Raabta) and “Babydoll” (Ragini MMS 2).

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When you watch Nick Pandya’s excellent cover of Mere Sohneya from the movie Kabir, two thoughts will hit you simultaneously. First, his voice. Oh, what a voice.

Second, the cookie-cutter homes set against the backdrop of a man-made body of water will be oddly familiar. Yes, the video was filmed in a subdivision near Mayfield Road and The Gore in Brampton.

After months of being cooped indoors because of the pandemic, Nick decided to venture outside. This music video was a tribute to tasting life’s small pleasures— fresh air, sunshine and music.

Within the Toronto and nearby areas, Nick, 28, is somewhat a homegrown celebrity and a YouTube sensation. His covers of popular Hindi and Gujarati songs are worthy of a listen or two.

An alumnus of Bramalea Secondary School, Nick has performed alongside Shankar Mahadevan, Jonita Gandhi, Chinmayi, Sukhvinder and others.

“Besides my parents, the person who inspires me the most is Shankar Mahadevan (Bollywood singer/composer),” said Nick who did a show in Toronto with Mahadevan. “When a reporter asked Shankar where he saw himself in life, Shankar replied that as a musician and human being, he wanted to be second because that way, he could continue to learn from the person in the first place.”

Mental health and Music

Nick works as a psychotherapist. When he’s not helping alleviate mental health and addiction issues, he’s fully immersed in his musical career and running Darshan Entertainment with his Dad.

“I believe in having a balance between music and my day job,” Nick said. “My job gives me the drive and the motivation to do better in my music and my career. I use music as a way of self-care.”
Nick Pandya, singer/co-founder Darshan Entertainment

Nick’s introduction to music started at 9 when he began taking tabla lessons. He studied the Indian skin instrument for 12 years and is acquainted with the elements of rhythm. This may be why his vocal prowess has that special something, an easy familiarity with the notes.

In 2008, he was the first runner- up in a reality TV contest judged by the well-known Pandit Jasraj. The contest, which unfolded over nine months, gave the audience a chance to know Nick and his vocal range. Soon after, opportunities came knocking.

Nick’s parents are his biggest cheerleaders. Their relationship appears to be one filled with mutual love.

During Navratri, Dandiya with Pandya (a second family business), is booked solid. Incidentally, Nick’s cover of a well-known song Moti Veerana by Osman Mir and Amit Trivedi is a viral hit. It has garnered more than 70,000 views on YouTube and is one of the most requested songs during his live performances.

“I think the most important thing with music is even though I would love to do it full-time, I am enjoying myself fully doing it part-time, and that, to me is the most important thing,” he says.

Toronto’s Nick Pandya, singer, co-founder, and producer of Darshan Entertainment and Dandiya with Pandya has performed alongside Shankar Mahadevan, Jonita Gandhi, Chinmayi, Sukhvinder and other Bollywood artists. On Friday, July 23, Pandya will perform at the 2020 BollywoodMonster Mashup happening via Facebook live.

On BollywoodMonster Mashup

Nick says BMM is a professionally-run concert that continues to give him a platform to showcase his craft to one of the biggest audiences in the GTA.

Nick will perform at the BMM Friday, July 24.

Jazzy B, Nikhita Gandhi, Yasser Desai, and others to perform at free outdoor concerts across the Greater Toronto Area, July’19

Jazzy B, the King of Bhangra and his band, will headline Vibrant Brampton Festival’s free outdoor concert, Sunday, July 28 at the Garden Square. Photo: Vibrant Brampton Festival

Happy Canada Day! Here’s your South Asian event calendar for July’19

Monday, July 1

Event: Canada Day

Details: Dancing Damsels Inc. will be hosting a Canada Day celebration at the Albert Campbell Square, 150 Borough Dr. Scarborough from 5-8 p.m. This free event will include participation from Canada’s truly multicultural cauldron.
Contact: For more information visit here

Tuesday, July 2-6

Event: Toronto International Dance Festival Workshops

Details: A series of dance workshops in preparation of the Toronto International Dance Festival will take place at the Albert Campbell Square, 150 Borough Dr. in Scarborough. Participants will be introduced to different dance forms by different instructors.
Contact: For information about the workshop, contact here

Thursday, July 4

Event: Rath Yatra

Details: A Lord Jagannath Dev’s Rath Yatra will take place at the Bangladesh Canada Hindu Mandir, 16 Dohme Ave. East York at 7:30 p.m.
Contact: For more information, contact here

Saturday, July, 6

Event: Tabla recital

Details: Toronto Tabla Ensemble will present the 2019 Student Recital at the Westedge Community Church, 157 Lakeshore Rd. W. at 6 p.m. The concert will feature performances by students from across the GTA. Cost of tickets is $20/person.
Contact: For more information visit here

Event: Standup by Kanan Gill
Details: Kanan Gill, a well-known comic will perform at the Ryerson Theatre, 43 Gerrard St. E, at 7 p.m. as part of his solo show Teetar.
Contact: For tickets and more visit here

Saturday, July 13-14

Event: Festival of India

Details: Toronto’s 47th Annual Festival of India will launch with a spectacular parade that will cruise down Yonge Street, beginning at Yonge & Bloor, and make its way down to the lake. During the parade, three ornate, 40-foot tall floats will be hand-pulled by participants amidst ecstatic singing, drumming, and dancing creating a wondrous, carnival-like atmosphere.
Contact: For information about the festival, visit here

Event: Festival of South Asia

Details: Gerrard St. E. between Glenside and Coxwell Avenues is “Little India.” On July 13-14, the streets will come alive for the Festival of South Asia, a multi-disciplinary arts and food festival showcasing a slice of South Asian culture. Festivities run from noon to 11 p.m. on both the days. Contact: For more details visit here

Monday, July 15 – 28

Event: Visual Arts of South Asia Festival

Details: V.A.S.A. – Arts Festival and exhibition’s aim is to introduce the unique flavour of South Asian art with an underlying objective of bringing together Canadian artists from different cultures. The event showcases South Asian culture as it evolves in this country and integrates with Canadian values. The exhibition will take place at Beaux-Arts Brampton, 70 Main St. N. Opening reception is taking place on July 18 from 6-9 p.m.
Contact: For gallery, hours visit here

Monday, July 15-18

Event: Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi) in Toronto

Details: She’s known as the “hugging saint” and she will be at the Delta Hotel by Marriott- Toronto Airport, 655 Dixon Rd. Toronto, ON M9W 1J3. There are morning as well as evening programs, retreats, and Devi Bhava.
Contact: For more information visit here

Thursday, July 18-20

Event: Bollywood MonsterMashup

Details: This three-day family event is a celebration of all things music and Bollywood and its influence in Canada. On Thursday, the popular festival will kick-off the #BollywoodMonster launch party & comedy night showcasing a lineup of hilarious standup comedy acts and a silent disco. This is a by-invite-only event.

The public can take in two free concerts at Celebration Square in Mississauga July 19-20. This year’s performers are Bollywood crooners Nikhita Gandhi and Yasser Desai. Nikhita (“Qaafirana” from the movie Kedarnath) will perform Friday, July 19, whereas Yasser (‘Naino ne baandhi” from Gold) will take the stage, Saturday (July 20).
Contact: For more details visit here

Saturday, July 27-28

Event: Vibrant Brampton

Details: Organized by the non-profit group Arts and Culture Initiative of South Asia (ACISA,) the 4th annual Vibrant Brampton will bring two fun-filled days of music and dance. On Saturday, you may want to head to the Rose Theatre, 1 Theatre Ln. in Brampton at 6 p.m. to listen to the Indian Idol winner Sreerama Chandra. Sunday’s outdoor concert bring Jazzy B to the Garden Square in Brampton.
Contact: For more details visit here

Toronto’s 47th Festival of India (Rath Yatra) will take place July 13-14.

June is when all music moves outdoors and Toronto desis finally ditch their toques

The 2018 MonsterWorldMashup is a two-day festival of music, comedy, and art happening in Brampton June 1-2. Hip-Hop artist Haviah Mighty is one of the performers at the concert taking place June 2 at the Garden Square in Brampton.

Friday, June 1-2

Event: MonsterWorld Mashup

Details: The folks that bring the #Bollywood Monster Mashup each year are offering a two-day festival of music, art, spoken word and more in Brampton. The MonsterWorld Mashup runs Friday, June 1, an exclusive ticketed event will feature series of comedy acts, an art show and yes, a secret concert. The action takes place at The Den, Sheridan College, Davis Campus, 7899 McLaughlin Rd. Brampton at 6 p.m.

Saturday, June 2 has the heavyweights such as Movin’ Cool, Stay Out Late, Los Poetas and HANHAN performing on stage at the Garden Square (outside Rose Theatre) at 5 p.m.

“We’re presenting unique acts who represent the changing voices and faces of the GTA,” says Vikas Kohli, executive director, MonstrARTity. “The June 1 launch party will be a unique experience for the audience with Brampton’s first-ever sofar secret concert and side-splitting comedy acts with comedians like Amish Patel, Keesha Brownie, Nitish Sakhuja, Crystal Ferrier, Chris Robinson and Paul Thompson. Most of all, it will be a great time, so join us.”

Contact: MonsterWorldMashup

Saturday, June 2

Event: desiFEST

Details: Now in its 12th year, desiFEST is a free event and is the largest South Asian Music Concert, taking place on Saturday, June 2 at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Contact: 2018 desiFest

Event: Vande Janani (A Tribute to Motherhood)

Details: Keralite Art Lovers Association (KALA) is hosting this dance concert by Divya Unni at the Erindale Secondary School, 2021 Dundas St. W. at 5:30 p.m.
Contact: Keralite Art Lovers Association

Saturday, June 9

Event: EID bazaar

Details: PGA International will be putting together its annual Eid Bazaar June 9 – 14 at the Swagat Banquet Hall, 6991 Millcreek Dr. Mississauga from 1 p.m. to midnight.
Contact: PGA’s EID bazaar

Thursday, June 14

Event: Through Her Lens

Details: A photo exhibit celebrating women of colour will take place at the Chinguacousy Library and Civic Centre, 150 Central Park Dr. in Brampton at 8:30 p.m.
Contact: Through Her Lens

Sunday, June 17

Event: SOCH workshop on coping with anxiety

Details: Supporting Our Community Health (SOCH), an organization host a series of mental health workshops, Sunday, June 17, at Chinguacousy Library and Civic Centre, 150 Central Park Dr. in Brampton from 1 to 3 p.m.

The idea is to increase awareness and education about anxiety and how it can be treated. These interactive workshops will take place in both English and Punjabi.

Contact: Supporting Our Community Health (SOCH)

Tuesday, June 26

Event: Speed Dating

Details: This Mississauga speed-dating event for South Asians will take place 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Port House Social Bar & Kitchen, 139 Lakeshore Rd. E. Mississauga, ON L5G 1E5.
Contact: Mississauga Speed Dating

Event: Toronto Curry Awards

Details: Pukaar News UK will be hosting the first-ever Toronto Curry Awards from 6 p.m. until midnight at the Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport, 970 Dixon Rd., Toronto, ON M9W 1J9.
The awards will celebrate this rich heritage of curries to highlight the finest examples of South Asian cuisine and praising the restaurateurs dedicated to serving up our beloved curries.
Contact: Toronto Curry Awards

‘Tis is the season for garba, kolu and Durga maa and Toronto has it all

Jonita Gandhi seen here with AR Rahman during one of his stops in North America. A documentary film One Heart touches on the tours’ highlight. Rahman will also be performing a concert in Brampton, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at Brampton’s Powerade Centre, 7575 Kennedy Rd.

Juggling multiple projects with a wary eye on looming deadlines is never a good idea. I should know. I am swamped.

So, I have decided to work smart. Here’s news, in bite-sized chunks to tide you over until I can get to that in-depth profile.

AR Rahman will be stopping by Brampton, Friday, Oct. 20 at the Powerade Centre, 7575 Kennedy Rd. at 7 p.m. Grab those tickets now.

On a related note: Our own nightingale Jonita Gandhi on whom I have written numerous stories makes an appearance in a just-released documentary on AR Rahman on his North American Intimate Tour (NAIT) series.

The film, One Heart features in-depth interviews with Rahman as well as members from his tour and is playing in Cineplex theatres across GTA.

“Being the lead female singer on the AR Rahman North America Intimate Tour was an unforgettable experience,” said Jonita in a press release. “I’m so grateful that Rahman sir trusted me with the task of delivering so many of his hits live on stage. I learned a lot about myself as a singer and performer during those 18 shows, and I’m so happy that parts of it have been captured and presented so beautifully in One Heart for everyone to enjoy.

It was Gandhi’s cover of a popular Christmas song (the video was shot in downtown Brampton some years ago by her brother) that caught Rahman’s interest. Soon after, he invited her to be part of his tour.

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Desi Royals Entertainment is hosting Garba 2017 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

‘Tis is the season for Garba.

Navratri (festival of nine days), celebrated by Hindus in India, signals to us that it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get ready to juggle rush-hour commute and office deadlines with some serious partying and prayers and rituals.

Here in Toronto, notice there’s an air of anticipation because the working mom and dads, dressed in business casual clothes from 9 to 5, toss them aside as soon as they get home to garb themselves in stunning ghaghra/choli, Kanjeevaram sarees, kurta/pyjamas and head to temples, homes, arenas for participating in pooja followed by dance and revelry.

So, on Saturday, Sept. 16, the Desi Royals Entertainment, is hosting its Garba 2017 at the Hershey Centre, 5500 Rose Cherry Pl. Mississauga at 7 p.m. It’s one of the biggest celebrations happening here in the GTA.

Hemant Chauhan and group will deliver string of Garba/Dandiya tracks to keep you in synch with your dancing partner. Interested? visit www.desiroyals.com.

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Dream merchants

Marriages are made in heaven, right? but weddings are more earthly and hell, need to be just perfect.

It’s pretty obvious that Suhaag: The wedding show clearly fills a much-needed service when it comes to your wedding needs. Mandap, clothes, jewelry, gifts, food, fashion and more catering to specific desi tastes. Those opulent sets are so awesome and intricate, you’ll want to get hitched, again.

The annual Suhaag show is happening Sunday, Sept. 17 at the International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd. from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. There will be fashion shows.

For more visit here.

Bit of house-keeping here: If you want your events included in the monthly events calendar, please send me the details, including where, what, when and who along with a high-rez photograph from previous years. Your listings must reach us a month in advance. Send the submissions to: toronto.desidiaries@gmail.com.

Oct. ’15 brings Krishna, the musical, garba, garba and more garbaa

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Malayali film actress Shobana is bringing a visual treat Krishna, a musical to Oakville, Sunday, Oct. 4. Check out other desi events happening in the GTA, October 2015.

Thursday, Oct. 1

Event: Filmi Toronto
Details: FILMI is an annual Toronto film festival that showcases the best in South Asian cinema from Canada and the rest of the world. This year, the festival will celebrate its 16th anniversary with a full schedule of screenings and industry workshops from Oct. 1 – 4.
Contact: For listings, schedule and more, contact here.

Saturday, Oct. 3
Event: Dandiya Raas Garba
Details: Sur Prem Entertainers are bringing a dandiya event to Brampton Soccer Centre, 1495 Sandalwood Pkwy. E. at 7:30 p.m.
Contact: For tickets contact here.

Event: Hindustani Classical Music
Details: Raag-Mala Music Society of Toronto and the Centre for South Asian Civilizations UTM are hosting Bhuvanesh Komkali at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the MiST Theatre, U of T Mississauga Campus, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga.
Bhuvanesh a Hindustani classical singer from the Gwalior gharana is the grandson of legendary gayak Kumar Gandharva. He will be accompanied by Sanjay Deshpande (tabla) and Vyasmurti Katti (harmonium). Tickets cost $30/person.
Contact: Here
Event: Concert
Details: Sadhana Sargam and Jubin Shah will perform at the Armenian Youth Centre, 50 Hallcrown Pl. in North York (Victoria Park and Sheppard) at 6:30 p.m. Event hosted by Toronto Indian Youth Cultural Association (TIYC) Canada.
Contact: 416-998-0582

Sunday, Oct. 4

Event: Shobana’s Krishna
Details: Blue Sapphire Entertainment Inc. is bringing Krishna, a visual tapestry of dance/drama by Shobana, well-known Malayalam actor/dancer/choreographer. The show will take place at The Meeting House, 2700 Bristol House in Oakville at 6:30 p.m. The English version of Krishna was conceived and created by Shobana after years of rigorous research, and practice. The doe-eyed beauty plays Krishna and will be accompanied by a troupe of 16 artists including her daughter Narayani.
Contact: For tickets visit here of contact here.

Saturday, Oct. 10

Event: Concert
Details: Sukvinder Singh and Kanika Kapoor, two Bollywood playback singers, whose pipes have been wowing filmgoers, will be performing a concert at the Sony Centre of performing arts, 1 Front St. E. at 6:30 p.m.
Contact: For tickets, visit here.

Sunday, Oct. 11

Event: Raas Garba
Details: Power of Kirtan will be presenting an interactive Raas Garba with Premash Nandi and group at Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School, 415 Great Lakes Dr. from 7 p.m. onwards. A free vegetarian meal will be served.
Contact: For tickets and information, visit here.

Saturday, Oct. 17

Event: Garba
Details: Dhamalmasti Group (DMG) is hosting a garba with Gitanajli Group at the Hershey Centre, 5600 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga at 7 p.m.
Contact: Here.

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