Suroor in the air: Himesh Reshammiya sets the stage on fire, takes Dilliwalas on a nostalgic musical ride
The arena was set, and fans had put on their dancing 'caps', but where was Himesh Reshamiya? The crowd asked all at once. While some screamed, 'HR, we are waiting for you,' others started singing,
'Ek Baar Aaja Aaja'
. And when the entire arena echoed with
'Jai Mata Di
, Let's Rock', the OG
Himesh Reshammiya
rose above the ground in one of the most dramatic trap door entrances imaginable.
Fans couldn't keep calm because '
Oh Huzoor, Tera Tera Suroor
' was playing, and it hit all the right nostalgia notes. Dressed in a dapper hooded long jacket with a dramatic collar and surrounded by theatrical dancers, singer-music director Himesh Reshammiya was finally in front of his fans. Before taking his fans on a musical ride, the singer took a moment to thank the soldiers of our country and lauded Operation Sindoor by singing,
Dil Diya Hai Jaan Bhi Denge
. And, then he was ready to 'turn the place into a nightclub,' as he performed his popular songs like H
ookah Bar, Jhalak Dikhlaja, Aapki Kashish, Naam Hai Tera Tera, Ice cream Khaungi, Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Mein Jahan rahoon, oh Balma
and many more.
Amidst his performance, he asked fans if he could have a 'one-to-one' conversation with them, and the arena reverberated with a big
yes
. The singer asked, '
Naak se gaaoon ya regular gaaon'?
and the audience burst into laughter. The craze for his show was such that many fans who missed his concert in Mumbai flew to Delhi just to attend The Cap Mania Tour. The music concert was spread across two days because the first day's show sold out so quickly that an extra day was added for those who had missed it. The show was supposed to end by 10 pm, but since the singer claimed, '
aaj mein mood mein aa gaya hoon'
, the event went on for another hour, and the fans couldn't thank him enough.
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Scroll.in
6 days ago
- Scroll.in
The Himesh Reshammiya comeback is a rebellion against polished, curated celebrity culture
I was five when Himesh Reshammiya dropped his era-defining hits, Aashiq Banaya Aapne and Jhalak Dikhla Ja. So no, I am not part of his original millennial fanbase that was losing their minds at his recent comeback 'Cap Mania Tour'. But nostalgia? It hit me in the stadium like a tidal wave. In July, Reshammiya – the cap-wearing hit machine who ruled our playlists somewhere between 2005 and 2014, with high-pitched hooks, sometimes absurd lyrics and characteristically nasal vocals – packed out his first Delhi show so quickly that another date was added at the same stadium. That sold out too. I was probably in Class 1 when the big rumour hit town: that singing the verse 'ek baar aaja aaja' from Jhalak Dikhla Ja would summon ghosts. I was convinced. Reshammiya tracks haunted every birthday celebration and dinner with my parents' friends. His songs weren't optional, they were the party. But then, sometime around 2014-'15, Reshammiya all but disappeared from the playlist. Perhaps audiences felt they'd had too much of the elements that defined his style. His 'so bad, it's good' appeal had worked in films like Aap Kaa Surroor (2007) and Karzzzz (2008), where he tried his hand at acting. But it carried him only so far. By the time Happy Hardy and Heer, featuring him in a double role, hit the screens in 2020, it barely made a ripple. From my chaotic early memories to this wild 2025 comeback, whatever this revival says about Reshammiya, I am just glad to witness it. Because honestly, it is nothing short of spectacular. Leaning into the memes The Reshammiya revival didn't begin with film studios or entertainment conglomerates. Like everything else in this era of virality, it began in chaotic corners of the internet. Instagram pages like Surroorgasm reintroduced him not as a dated remnant of the early 2000s but as a postmodern puzzle. Was he cringe or did he possess accidental brilliance that we simply hadn't recognised before? With the flood of memes, everyone was suddenly nostalgic about his aesthetic excesses – the nasal vocals, the leather trench coat, the signature snapback cap. Reshammiya managed to carve out a space for a fandom fueled both by irony and guilty nostalgia. Another part of Reshammiya's appeal was the unabashedly raunchy music videos, often featuring Emraan Hashmi, the actor who could seduce a camera lens without even blinking. With music videos such as Aashiq Banaya Aapne, subtlety quietly left the building. What you got was smouldering glances, slow-motion romances and barely-there outfits that raised eyebrows tartly at the time. The thrill of rediscovering a secret pleasure has played a major role in turning Reshammiya into a full-blown cult icon once again. But his comeback is not just about nostalgia wiping away the cringe he was once tagged with. While he's been proudly owning his trademark style for years, it's his fans who have only recently learned to embrace it – fully and unapologetically. Songs that were once dismissed as the soundtrack of autorickshaw drivers and nightclubs with questionable taste are now celebrated as camp, iconic and timeless. Gayetri Mitra, who grew up in Kolkata, recalls that rickshaw drivers would deck out their autos with flashing lights, microphone-shaped charms and own their love for HR as they blasted out his songs at full volume – often while speeding well beyond the limit. 'It was an experience, it was epic,' the 31-year-old accountant asserted. She added that she still knows most of the lyrics by heart because autos were her main mode of transport back then. With Instagram accounts like Himesh Doing Things, the artist's mundane moments were transformed into shareable memes. This reshaped Reshammiya's image from just an artist with a cap and microphone into a cult favorite embraced by a post-ironic fanbase. Gradually, Reshammiya evolved into a kitschy icon, revered almost like a quirky deity among fans and affectionately dubbed 'Lord Himesh'. And that has meant his comeback tour that began on May 31 in Mumbai is not only about nostalgia, but is almost a form of resistance against polished, curated celebrity culture. Reshammiya, for his part, did not try to reinvent the wheel. He stuck to what he knew best. Instead of toning down his nasal voice, he turned it up. In the early years, he batted away the critics by describing his sound as 'high-pitched'. He even claimed that RD Burman had a similar twang. But a few hits in, he leaned into it and proudly admitted: yes, it is nasal, and it sells. He didn't shy away from the very things that were once mocked or whispered about. Take the snapback cap, the same one he admitted on Koffee With Karan in 2007, he wore to hide hair loss, now proudly front and centre. At the Delhi concert, the cap wasn't just a fashion statement – it was a spectacle. A massive, floating, glittering red snapback stamped with HR initials hovered above the stage. And then, out came Himesh. The energy was electric and the entire stadium shimmered with thousands wearing matching red, glittery HR caps that were handed out by the organisers. A month and a half before the Delhi show, a standout moment from the Mumbai leg of his tour came when he asked the crowd, 'Thoda regular gaaun, ya naak se gaaun?' Should I sing in my regular voice or with my nasal twang? Without missing a beat, the audience picked the latter. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare) To understand why this works and why 'cringe' now feels cool, we have to unpack what cringe really means. On the surface, cringe is secondhand embarrassment. But socially, it often reflects discomfort with sincerity, emotion and expressions that don't follow acceptable – and often elitist – norms. Cringe is rarely just about taste, it's about power. It tells us who is allowed to perform, what aesthetics are respectable and who gets to be taken seriously. Seen through that lens, enjoying Reshammiya's music is its own quiet form of rebellion. In 2025, Reshammiya is back, louder, weirder and more self-aware than ever. By staying unpolished and sincere to what defines him, Reshammiya has given concert-goers something rare: the freedom to enjoy themselves without irony or shame.
Indian Express
25-07-2025
- Indian Express
Why are we still listening to Himesh Reshammiya?
Composer-turned-singer-turned-actor-turned-meme, Himesh Reshammiya, in that order, is back. This time as a rockstar. Going by the excitement around his recent Cap Mania tour (the organisers had to add a second show in Delhi) and community singalongs during his recently sold-out stadium shows in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, literally inspired by the cap he began wearing due to hair loss, one thing is clear: there is a market for everything if you put the right spin to it. Add a giant cap hydraulically lifted up, a bright red stage, lots of confetti, laser lights, pyrotechnics and a click on the rewind button to the 2000s — Reshammiya's peak years and when a lot of the music was overproduced, catchy and therefore, accessible — it's a recipe for frenzy. Millennials and their parents are converging in droves. Not because the songs with some of the most absurd lyrics (Tera pyaar hookah bar (Khiladi 786), Tandoori nights (Karzzzz), Ice-cream khaungi (The Xpose) and some of the more respectable ones, like Aashiq banaaya aapne, Tere naam and Teri yaad saath hai (Namaste London), have travelled well and greyed. They are coming because they themselves have. And, perhaps, had no idea that they longed for these reminders of heartbreaks, of college canteen mimicry sessions, the first introduction to Deepika Padukone in Naam hai tera, in their current lives, which come with expendable income meeting this need for raw, unadulterated entertainment. The nasal twang, the cap and the floor-touching trench coats in the humid weather of Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai of the 'Jai mata di, let's rock' spouting guy we once mocked, are all acceptable now and part of a shared experience with friends and family. It is unrefined, and this, in today's terms, not pretentious territory. What if it is sloppy? People in Delhi are leaving judgment at home and gyrating to Hookah bar like it is 2005. And it's a cultural phenomenon worth noticing. Reshammiya has likely hired some smart branding and PR teams to make this so-bad-it's-stuck music marketable at a time when there is no dearth of good music. Looks like these corporate honchos have nailed the cap to the head: they have figured that in the nostalgia-fed space that is run by Insta reels, Reshammiya fits in nice and easy. His self-deprecating humour: 'Naak se gaun kya? (Should I sing in my nasal voice?),' he asked in Mumbai, was a one-of-a-kind feat. In an industry where people guard their public persona with such care, Reshammiya's self-parody is making him relevant to Gen Z. A post shared by Himesh Reshammiya (@realhimesh) How did this happen? In one year, how did we start with Diljeet Dosanjh, go to Bryan Adams, to Coldplay and Guns N Roses, and then to waving phone flashlights at Himesh Reshammiya? Barring some of his fun compositions sung by other singers, most of this music isn't innovative. What Reshammiya has been calling '50 hits in a row' in his recent interviews — and, yes, quite a few were commercially successful — were just earworms that once quarried into our brains and became guilty pleasures. There is certainly enough help from the idea of FOMO — a thriving live-music industry in a spiral mode — where newness is the currency. Add to it, the need to find an echo to something familiar, even if it is lousy. That it is somewhat cringe is half the fun. And that Reshammiya is earnest in presenting it all in the same old style, is bringing people in. Pair this with a brilliant band and live dancers and fire stunts and you have a winner. The evolution of Reshammiya is an interesting story. Born and raised in a Gujarati family, he is the son of composer Vipin Reshammiya, who gave his son the early exposure to music by taking him for recording sessions at the age of 14. Reshammiya began his career with TV show title tracks and debuted with the Salman Khan-starrer Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya (1998). In those years, he was constantly composing, building a stockpile of tunes and presenting them to producers. Which is also why he could do so much music at a given time. This was very different from other composers who created tunes according to the situation and brief for a particular film. Reshammiya's music was, at least for the initial few years, all about taking the pick. He composed for films like Dil Maange More (2004); Tere Naam (2003); Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005); Humraaz (2002); Aitraaz (2004); Hello Brother (1999), followed by his superhit album Aapka Suroor (2006). It was, at best, mediocre. It worked. Also Read | Himesh Reshammiya is having a moment again — and honestly, it's glorious But as for the Himesh hysteria of the present and a title like 'Lord Himesh' floating around, let's be clear: This isn't any music revolution or a lesson in what is or isn't profound, as if Reshammiya missed out on his due then. Yes, his return, against good taste and all the odds, is working. But not because the music is crafty. It's because there is something sadly sweet about looping back to what we once knew, even if it was a cringe fest. Now that it is back like a spectacle, the theatre of the absurd has come with its own ways. And the audience is eager to indulge. Those singing in tune are wondering if they will be next.
News18
25-07-2025
- News18
ICYMI: Farah Khan's Birthday Post For ‘Great Guy' Himesh Reshammiya
The clip opens to showcase Farah Khan sitting around the table and then turning to the man of the hour to extend her birthday wishes for Himesh Reshammiya. Himesh Reshammiya celebrated his birthday on July 23, surrounded by his close-knit friend circle and it was nothing short of heartwarming. Adding her signature charm to the evening was choreographer and filmmaker Farah Khan who shared a delightful video from what appears to be an intimate dinner gathering. The clip opens to showcase her sitting around the table and then turning to the man of the hour to extend her heartfelt birthday wishes for him. With a smile on her face, Farah exchanged a warm hug with Himesh Reshammiya before saying, 'Hi guys, I'm at somebody's very special birthday — a very special friend of ours. He is a great guy, and here he is!" Then, she turned the camera to Himesh and started singing, 'Happy Birthday!" followed by the singer's signature slogan, 'Let's rock! Jai Mata Di." As she continued, the entire table joined in singing, 'Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday, dear Himesh." The singer, clearly moved by the gesture, smiled and the warmth and affection on everyone's faces said it all. Sharing the video, Farah Khan wrote, 'Happy birthday to a great guy, Himesh Reshammiya, a legendary composer and an even better friend and neighbour. We love you." Himesh Reshammiya's Cap-Mania Tour Himesh Reshammiya has been riding high on the success of his recent tour which left the audience spellbound in Delhi. The singer last performed on July 19 and 20 at the Indira Gandhi Arena which ran from 3 pm to 10 pm on both days, emerging to be a nostalgic musical rollercoaster for fans. He kicked off the show with his blockbuster hit Tera Suroor, setting the stage for an evening packed with high-energy performances and full Bollywood flair. The setlist also included chartbusters like Kehne Ko Saath Apne, Yaad Sataye Teri and Tere Naam, all of which brought waves of nostalgia for longtime fans. On the film front, Himesh Reshammiya was last seen in Badass Ravikumar. Farah Khan's Last Project Farah Khan won hearts with her hosting skills in the cooking-based reality show Celebrity MasterChef. The cooking based show also featured star Chefs Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar. Among the contestants were Tejasswi Prakash, Gaurav Khanna, Archana Gautam, Usha Nadkarni and Nikki Tamboli among others. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
