Oscar-winning composer and singer A R Rahman, who has been wowing Expo 2020 Dubai visitors with his all-female Firdaus Orchestra as well as solo concerts, took to the Jubilee Stage one last time on Thursday, before the world's fair closes on March 31.
Joined by an army of pan-Indian singers — from celebrated vocalist Udit Narayan to Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi and singers Rashid Ali, Jonita Gandhi, Vijay Yesudas and Shweta Mohan — Rahman performed some of his biggest hits spanning more than two decades and several languages, including Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam. Rahman's son A R Ameen, who is also a singer, performed on the night.
“Thanks again for all the love,” Rahman said, as he appeared on stage to loud cheers from the crowd.
Scroll through the gallery above for more pictures from A R Rahman's last concert at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The show, titled Once More, began on a sedate note with Rahman performing a few of his Sufi-inspired hits, including the touching Khwaja Mere Khwaja from the 2008 film Jodhaa Akbar and Kun Faya Kun from the 2011 hit Rockstar.
The show then picked up pace as streamers filled the air to the tunes of Jai Ho!, Rahman's global hit from the soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire, which bagged the musician his Best Original Song Oscar in 2008.
The near four-hour concert also included a percussion solo from Sivamani, who wheeled his drum set around the stage and spontaneously swapped his drums for a water cooler and his drum sticks for cans, before he was joined by the multi-talented Ranjit Barot.
A poignant segment featured Rahman's tribute to celebrated Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar, who died last month at the age of 92. Considered a national treasure, Mangeshkar sang for many of Rahman's compositions, and appeared on stage via video footage to perform the emotional hit Luka Chuppi, from the 2006 film Rang de Basanti.
Rahman, who developed Why? The Musical, exclusively for Expo 2020 Dubai, also performed English songs from the show.
While the concert was heavy with his Hindi hits, Rahman, who is from Tamil Nadu, ended the show with some of his biggest South Indian compositions. Songs such as Urvasi Urvasi and Mukkabla, from the 1994 film Kadhalan, were performed in Tamil, much to the delight of the crowd.
Scroll through the gallery below for images of celebrities who have visited Expo 2020 Dubai:
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
