Mallika Dureja
The annual cultural festival, Anugoonj 2023, provided the students of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) a rocking experience despite mid-semester exams and assignment submissions. Armaan Malik’s chart-topping hits filled the night on the final day of this three-day extravaganza, after Sukh-Punjabi E’s numbers and DJ Ravator’s music had the audience roaring on the first two days.
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Students from various GGSIPU-affiliated colleges and colleges in the Delhi-National Capital Region attended the festival, which was held after the pandemic hiatus. Hemank Aggarwal, a third-year journalism student at a Delhi-based college, says, “I’ve been contemplating what and how Anugoonj will be for the past two years, ever since I enrolled in my college in the first year.”
Armaanians couldn’t keep calm!
The students who showed up in color-coded groups for the finale concert were willing to scale any obstacles in order to catch a glimpse of Armaan Malik. The singer-songwriter began the evening with the song “Main Hoon Hero Tera” (Hero, 2015), and the crowd’s mobile phone flashlights were promptly directed towards the main stage. Nishika Verma, a second-year BBA student at a college in Delhi, says, “I put my heart and soul into making a placard so that I would be noticed by the man of my desires, Armaan.”
Malik performed chart-topping hits such as Besabriyaan and Kaun Tujhe (both from M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, 2016), Pehla Pyaar (Kabir Singh, 2019), and singles such as Tu/You (2022), among others, to enhance the evening.
The night sky was not the only attraction at the festival. On the first day, the audience danced to the upbeat sounds of Sukh-E and DJ Ravator. The street dance competition also featured some astounding performances by juvenile dancers. Dheeraj Rawal, a first-year engineering student at the University School of Biotechnology, remarked, “This is a rare sight,” adding, “The students danced like professionals. Their lifts and movements were absolutely incredible.”
Mr & Ms Anugoonj
After three rigorous rounds of introduction, talent performance, and question and answer sessions, the coveted titles of Mr. & Mrs. Shreya Rana, a second-year journalism student at a college in Noida, exclaims, “I never thought I would earn the title of Ms. Anugoonj, but it feels amazing.” Madhur Bajaj, a fourth-year architecture student at a college in Delhi, describes his journey to gaining the title of Mr. Anugoonj as follows: “I performed a dance number based on Call Me By Your Name, and during the Q&A round, I became incredibly nervous on the inside. But, the evaluators made me feel seen.”
