Chutney, naach naach and everything in between
HIS reputation as a crowd pleaser is well established. While Haribans “Rocco” Thakurdin is less than convincing on the dance floor, has an uninspiring singing voice and plays no musical instrument well, he is still able to entertain the masses.
As a show promoter, Thakurdin loves to do things his way. He has good instincts for what pleases patrons and is usually right. His biggest contribution to the entertainment industry must be the resurrection of “chutney” music in South Africa.
Thakurdin, the visionary, got musicians to tinker with “bhojhpuri” (Hindi) music in the 1980s. They threw some slang and English into the mix and bhojhpuri was turned into chutney, which became very popular.
“In this industry, you’ve got to have a nose for what will work. Then you must back your instincts and hope for the best,” he says.
His knack for trends was again in evidence when he got male dancers to dress and dance as women during shows in the 1980s.
When he gave chutney and the male dancers a platform, rival show promoters expected his concept to crumble. It didn’t.
“Other promoters first wrote me off, then copied what I was doing because of the success of my shows,” he said.
Whether chutney, naach naach (dance) or bhajun (religious music) shows, Thakurdin's events were well attended. At times, he even had to turn away fans, some of whom had travelled long distances.
His brand is also known in India, where his chutney exploits caught the attention of the media, and he is also well appreciated in Mauritius.
Thakurdin secured the Bhojhpuri Boys from the island nation to perform in Durban in 2000. “They have toured the world and many local singers have since done cover versions of their songs. I’ve been given the sole rights to promote their music in South Africa,” he said.
He also has rights, from the Mauritian government, to promote a CD tribute to Mauritian legend Sona Noyan.
The son of a bus driver, Thakurdin still has drive – after rocking audiences for nearly 30 years.
His family lived in Riverside, near Durban North, and he was the eldest of four sons to his parents, Parsin and Sookrani.
They lived in a two-bedroom wood and iron home. “We were a happy family,” he said.
He delivered newspapers and worked as a gardener to supplement the family income.
Thakurdin’s love of sport gained him prominence at the Sir Kurma Reddy Primary School, where he was an excellent goalkeeper, earning caps with the Natal School’s team.
His keeper style was modelled on that of Natal Football League goalie Rocco Smith.
“Smith was my hero. I used to catch the ball the way he did. That’s how I was named Rocco,” he says.
When Thakurdin’s father died when he was in Standard 6 (Grade 8), he was only 15 and had to find work to support the family.
He got a job as a shop assistant at Spar in Durban North, where he worked seven days a week.
“Every cent I earned went to my mom. She gave me a small allowance for my personal needs.”
By then, Thakurdin’s family had been moved to Sea Cow Lake, as a result of the Group Areas Act. While living there he noticed Chandhanee, who he eventually married in 1976.
He remembered seeing her at a local store and he followed up on that meeting by writing a letter to her, which was trendy at the time. He got a response a week later.
He was pleased by her positive response.
Hard work saw Thakurdin promoted to management at Spar to the point where he eventually was able to take over ownership of the Newlands branch in 1996.
In Sea Cow Lake, Thakurdin got involved with the local Himmat Youth Club, which helped the needy. He became general manager of the club in 1976.
One of the club’s main fund-raisers was a weekend-long variety show hosted annually on a stand in the neighbourhood.
“I used to co-ordinate the shows, which comprised fun and games and ended with a music and dance show for the roughly 600 paying customers. We raised about R400 at those events to buy Diwali and Christmas hampers for poor people.”
Thakurdin said he was head-hunted in 1980 by B Brijlal, who staged cultural shows at Durban City Hall.
“My work with the youth club established my reputation as a show organiser. With Brijlal, I learnt a lot, including how to operate professionally. We staged many band and sari queen contests, which were popular at the time.”
When Brijlal moved to Pietermaritzburg for his business interests, Rocco Thakurdin Promotions came alive. “My first show, at the city hall in 1987, was titled Rocco Thakurdin’s Chutney Nagara Night.
“It was a tremendous success. Ashok Ramchunder and Flash Entertainers were on the bill, including Neeresh, who dressed as a woman for his dance routines. His dances were well received.”
Thakurdin said he was nervous starting that venture and didn’t expect such a huge response. His debut was mocked, but he silenced the critics with six shows at City Hall, all sold out.
“My success prompted rivals to stage shows.
“I was the person who gave chutney music prominence. The whole country was abuzz with it and my reputation as an entertainer grew. Amichand Rajbansi and other dignitaries were regulars.”
Seeking change, he launched his naach naach events. “I was tired of doing the same thing, so I held shows of mostly dance,” he said.
In 1997, he promoted bhajan shows and they were also well attended.
Thakurdin said while showbiz could be lucrative, promoters could also lose a lot of money. “It’s all about ticket sales. You have to time your shows well to draw public support.
“I was happy to break even on some events, but I never suffered losses.
He halted productions for over a decade after his son, Rishaan, was shot dead by robbers in 2001.
“His death was a low point in my life. I took time out. I didn’t want to promote shows in those tough years, even though I received many requests to make a comeback.
“But I did act as an adviser to cultural groups staging fund-raising events,” said Thakurdin.
He returned in 2012 with his show, the Glory of Bhajans, which featured Sanjeet Teeluck, Dusti Deewana and other groups. “It went really well,” he said. Thakurdin was thrilled to be honoured at the Indian Cinema Centenary Awards function in 2013, for his contribution to the promotion of music and dance.
His next event, a singing contest, which includes a sari queen competition, is much aniticpated, and is scheduled for May.