To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Hindu Student Council hosted Guns & Roses in the Blind Duck. To fit the event’s tagline—“Express your love in a classy way or get shot by Cupid anyway”—attendees donned elegant saris, suits, and dresses in hopes of “bringing out the sweet yet spicy side of love”, as promised on the event’s Facebook page.
To begin the night, guests promenaded down the red carpet on their entrance. Masked in sunglasses, carrying red roses, armed with fake guns, and topped with fedoras, invitees were hardly recognizable in their photo booth pictures. In the main hall, rose petals decorated each red tablecloth and lights sparkled on heart-shaped wreaths lining the windows.
Spring rolls, samosas, and lemonade were served as appetizers. Candy grams were also offered to guests; personalized notes were submitted at a booth at the door, and messages could be collected upon exit.
After everyone was seated, Vinay Kumar Thapilyal and Sonu Solanki started the show, their first roles being those of emcees. Between performances they transformed into brilliant actors, unfolding a fictional love story for the audience. As passionate lovers, their characters began the dangerous path of gaining membership in a gang. Thapilyal left the gang, and Solanki was given a mission of assassination. Thapilyal persisted in convincing Solanki to leave, but she refused.
Tension built, hearts ached, and tears were shed until Thapilyal was left on one knee with Solanki’s gun pointed at his head. Solanki jumped off the stage and ran away, and Thapilyal ran after her as the song “Pareshaan” played in the background to conclude their dramatic love story.
The performances in between were also done well. Shalok Munjal’s dance was especially outstanding, with skilful legwork and smooth movements to the song “Mera Dil Meri Jaan”. Rhythm also gave a magnificent performance to a medley of Bollywood songs in return for dancing and cheering from the energetic crowd.
Later, the band Viren Sud had the crowd at their feet with wonderful singing, captivating rhythms, and an all-around adept performance.
Raymond Noronha, the president of UTMSU, announced the winners of the night’s awards. The Damsel in Distress award was presented to Aleena Khan and the title of “Mr. 007” was given to Nikhil Chhabra.
Following the performances, dinner was served, including both Desi food and Hakka Chinese. Dal makhani, shahi paneer, rice, naan, vegetable Manchurian, and Hakka noodles were among the delicious dishes. Dessert, however, was the main attraction. Milk and white chocolate flowed down the exterior of a silver fountain, with strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, and wafers for dipping.
After dinner, Fuzion Sound opened the dance floor with the latest Bollywood tracks for the guests whose dancing on the stage and on the floor sustained the energy till the end of the night.
