Despite a sore throat, Lucky Ali sings live: You all sing better than me

Lucky Ali returned to Mumbai last night for a live performance that leaned heavily on nostalgia, warmth and candour, drawing a crowd that cut across generations.


The evening opened with singer Samad Khan, who set the mood before Ali took the stage. Ali made his entry with Aashiyana, easing into the set as the audience welcomed him with loud cheers. Greeting the crowd, he said, “How’s everyone in Mumbai? So nice to be back.”
Ali was visibly battling a coarse throat and addressed it early on. “I was in Chandigarh, and Chandigarh was like thandigarh,” he joked, adding, “Sorry for my voice now. You all sing better than me.” Between songs, he was seen sipping ginger juice to soothe his throat.
At several points during the show, Ali paused to speak about the city, even asking, “Is Bombay polluted? You should grow more trees.” He also introduced his band members, allowing them individual moments to shine through extended solos and musical breaks. “Keep the love stronger — that’s all we have,” he said.


The crowd — a mix of boomers, millennials, Gen Z and even a few toddlers — sang along enthusiastically, with O Sanam emerging as the clear favourite. Acknowledging its popularity, Ali quipped, “This is probably the only song you know of mine."


The chants of “once more” grew louder, and O Sanam returned as an encore, becoming the second-last song of the night.


During his 2 hour long performance Ali belted a few of his other hits such as Hairat, Kitni Haseen, Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, Aa Bhi Jaa and many others.


He also revealed that this would be “the last concert we will be performing for a while now,” a statement that added emotional weight to the set.


Ali closed the evening with Ek Pal Ka Jeena, with the venue on its feet and dancing. As he signed off, he left the audience with a parting line that felt both hopeful and familiar: “Zindagi rahi toh phir milenge.”
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