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Tables are turned in curry house as staff entertain Indian music legend after a gig

17/ 4/2008

THE tables were turned at a Radcliffe curry house when an Indian music legend was treated to an impromptu serenade by the staff.

Veteran ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas popped in to Dil Se Restaurant following one of his sell-out concerts at Leeds Town Hall.

Though he was too tired to sing for enthusiastic staff and entourage at the restaurant in Bury and Bolton Road, Pankaj was instead treated to songs by local talent among the restaurant staff.

Dil Se manager Hafizur Haris said: "We requested Pankaj Udhas to sing for us, but he was too tired from the concert a few hours earlier, so the staff decided to put on their own show for Pankaj.

"They sang both Bollywood and Bengali tunes.

"People were singing until four in the morning. It was a great honour to have such a legend in our restaurant. The staff were very excited.

"We were very pleased to have somebody so famous dine with us.

"Pankaj was a very nice and humble person."

Pankaj Udhas was on a UK tour and had also performed at Manchester’s Opera House, London, Leicester, Glasgow and Birmingham.

He was first noticed as a professional singer in the Bollywood film Naam (1986) in which his song Chitthi Aayee Hai became an instant hit.

He has recorded several albums since then and toured the world as an accomplished ghazal singer.

He has also composed music for many films and performed as a playback singer for others.