Apr 22, 2025 01:34 PM IST
Music composers Salim-Sulaiman perform at Netaji Subhas University of Technology’s fest. Hit songs like Ainvayi Ainvayi and Chak De India echoed on campus!
Heart-shaped red hued confetti dripping from the sky made last Saturday’s evening magically romantic as Bollywood’s popular music composer/producer duo Salim-Sulaiman sang Ishq Wala Love at the annual cultural fest of Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), Moksha’25. Setting the romantic tone right, the popular artistes compelled a crowd of almost 25,000 students to sing along in a soulful chorus. Soon Sulaiman said on stage: “We want to share some love with you. Ek kahawat hai, saath gaane se pyar badhta hai, toh kyun na aisa gaana gayein jo aap humare saath gayenge. Toh surkh waala, soz waala, faiz waala, hum chahte hain ki aap humare saath gayein Ishq Wala Love.”
Ainvayi feels to patriotic fervour
To soak in this experience, students from across the Capital flocked to NSUT’s campus in Dwarka and many queued up to get entry well within time before the concert began. “Salim is my childhood crush, so it was like a dream come true to watch him perform live,” confessed Swastika Khanna, a second-year student of History (Hons) at Delhi University’s Kalindi College, adding, “The entry was so smooth that I got here alongwith my friends at around 3pm and by 3.15pm we were all inside the campus. We even stocked up on water so that we didn’t have to budge from our spot in between the performance.”
The duo indeed had the crowd hooked to their every beat, be it during the high-energy hits such as Ainvayi Ainvayi or patriotism-infused Chak De India; when they held the National Flag to pay tribute to the country’s sports stars. This isn’t all for the crowd’s screams reached a crescendo when the two were joined in on stage by Bollywood singers Raj Pandit, Vipul Mehta, and Kavya Limaye. This is what paved the way for one of the most heartfelt moments of this gig as lyrics of Shukran Allah filled the air and left the entire crowd swaying and singing in unison! Dedicating the song to the audience, Salim said: “I want to thank each and every one of you as Moksha is one of the biggest festivals in the college circuit, and I’m truly proud to be here.”
What’s that instrument?
With several youngsters wondering what’s the instrument that Sulaiman carried with him on stage — looks like a guitar with buttons — the singer graciously quenched their curiosity by revealing: “Ladies and gentlemen, this instrument is called a Zendrum. Ismei kaafi sare sounds hain; I can play big drums for Kurbaan Hua as well as tabla for Ishq Wala Love.”
Denji slashes Moksha!
Before the concert, the campus was abuzz with cultural activities as multiple competitions and performances took place simultaneously. These ranged from dating booths and push-up contests to cosplay battles and fashion shows. Dressed in blood-splattered clothes and a chainsaw mask was Priyank Arya, a student of a Noida-based University, who told us: “I came to attend the fest to be able to participate in the cosplay competition. The character I chose is Denji from the anime Chainsaw Man.”
Story by Tanvi Consul
