Singing Our Story: Duets That Define Us

30th December 2001! On this day, Kristel and I walked down the aisle at Our Lady of Egypt Church, Kalina, Mumbai promising to love and honour each other - for better or worse, in sickness and health, till death do us part. As we sat down on a quiet Sunday evening trying to line up a plan for our special day, the idea popped up to revisit the melodies that have accompanied me on through the journey.

The Sweet Beginning

“Jesus, You’re The Sweetest Name of All,” was the first song we sang together as a duet during our nuptial service.  This hymn has inspired us to build our marriage on a strong foundation of faith and harmony.

Building a Harmonious Home

After a short trip to Singapore, we returned to Dubai to start our new life together. Our first home was a cozy studio - It was in this apartment that our musical experiments truly began. One of the first songs we sang together was Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman’s “Something Stupid,” The song was released just a days before our wedding – an interesting coincidence.

Classics That Defined Us

Another favorite duet we cherish is the Irving Berlin classic, “I Wonder Why (You’re Just In Love),” from the 1950s film Call Me Madam. This song’s delightful polyphony - two verses sung simultaneously—is a delightful challenge, much like marriage itself.

A Bollywood Touch: Nostalgia and Romance

As life brought us back to Mumbai, our playlist grew to include some beloved Bollywood hits. While “Papa Kehte Hain” is a personal favorite that I perform as part of a Rock ‘n’ Roll medley, Kristel’s melodic voice beautifully suits the romantic love song from the same movie QSQT, “Ghazab Ka Ye Din.”

 

A few years later when I was studying in NMIMS, Jo Jeeta Woh Sikander became a hit. The song "Pehla Nasha" perfectly captures the magic of young love.

Keeping the Music Alive

We hope you’ve enjoyed the performances that we’ve shared here. These songs are more than just covers; they’re snapshots of our life together, moments frozen in harmony.

We look forward to many more music sessions as a couple in the upcoming year. We’d love to have your suggestions on other songs we should work on together. 

Bollywood Backstage: Memories, Melodies, and Magic Moments

The past few weeks at work have been a whirlwind of high energy and anticipation. We were all gearing up for the SCREENXX Summit and Awards, held on November 13th in Mumbai. It was a flurry of activity—entries streaming in, juries deliberating, final results being tallied, trophies polished, agenda locked, invitations sent out, and registrations in full swing. The most thrilling part? The big question: Which celebrities would actually make it for the night?

As the day approached, the buzz was palpable. Would the stars align (quite literally) and grace us with their presence? It felt like the entire team was holding its breath.

After a long day of planning, I’d unwind at home, instinctively reaching for my phone. And as if by some magical algorithm (or maybe Big Brother keeping tabs on my Bollywood mood), my social media feed served me snippets from series like Panchayat and Very Parivarik. It was like the universe was playing along, providing the perfect dose of entertainment just when I needed it.

The event turned out to be a roaring success! Stars from the small screen dazzled the audience, receiving a raucous cheer as if it were the climax of a blockbuster. Though I haven’t been following Hindi OTT shows as religiously lately, and it’s been a while since I binge-watched a series, the collective excitement was contagious. The presence of yesteryear celebrities, like Chunky Panday, brought back a flood of memories from simpler times.

Bollywood Nostalgia: Growing Up in the Golden Era

Growing up in the 80s in Mumbai, it was impossible to escape the Bollywood wave. At just 5 or 6 years old, I remember the thrill of watching the youngest Kapoor brother, Rajiv Kapoor, playing cricket on our school field. The odd walk through Union Park in Chembur had us trying to spot Om Prakash, the veteran actor as we passed by his bungalow there.

Sundays were special days indeed. The roads were clear as families indulged in the Sunday evening ritual watching that long-awaited movie on TV. Subsequently that moved moved to Saturdays and the regional treat took over the Sunday. On weeknights, the entire family would huddle around the TV to watch Chitrahaar and Chhayageet, eagerly waiting for our favourite songs. The introduction of colour TV during the 1982 Asian Games marked a turning point. Suddenly, watching TV felt like a whole new experience. We spent dinner time not around the table, but seated on the sofa in front of the TV and keenly kept track of the developments on screen as we followed the serials like 'Hum Log' and later 'Buniyaad'. Also the comedy treats like 'Hum Paanch' and many others.

Summer and Diwali holidays often meant marathon movie sessions at a neighbour’s place. They would rent the movies by the dozen and their living room was a mini-theatre. We didn’t mind sitting on the floor and at times non-stop commentary from the lady of the house who was an absolute movie buff. When we got our own video player, we made the most of it to watch a good mix of Hindi blockbusters as well as English treats.

Flashback to 1988: The Era of QSQT

One movie that stands out vividly in my memory is Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT), released in 1988. The film introduced us to the original chocolate hero, Aamir Khan, who stole everyone’s heart with his captivating performance. But what truly won me over was the music. The peppy, rock-and-roll rhythm of “Papa Kehte Hain”, featuring a cameo by dance maestro J J Rodriguez, is still one of my favorite songs—to listen to, to play, and even to sing. It’s a classic that never gets old. This was one of the early songs I learned to play on the keyboard. Give it a listen here.

Sunil Pinto · Papa Kehte Hain

Recently, on a quiet evening at home with my lovely wife, we found ourselves reminiscing about this film. I started playing another beautiful love song from the movie, and she spontaneously joined in. Here’s our rendition of “Gazab Ka Ye Din”—a timeless melody that still gives us goosebumps.Listen here

Sunil Pinto · Gazab ka hai din.m4a

We’d love to hear your feedback on this rendition. There are a few more covers in the pipeline, and we can’t wait to share them with you soon. Stay tuned for more musical nostalgia!

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Father's Day 2024

On Father's Day today, I decided to put together a little tribute to Dad.... since he (and his siblings) inspired the music in me. 

I Believe sung my Elvis and many others was a song I recall Dad singing from my very early years. One of my sisters actually had him sing it at her nuptials. 

Ten years ago, when I returned to Mumbai, I stepped up to lead the singing at Mass. The first day that I went up, some of the priests of the parish actually thought  that Dad was back from New Zealand - since we have very similar voices. Over the years that he served the parish in the music ministry, a favourite  hymn of his was this Don Moen spiritual - God Will Make A Way. 

What do/ will you remember your Dad by?