Cover Story

From being a monthly show, it became a weekly show, with Roger airing it on the Multicultural Channel every Thursday evening. Though Kamal's life was hectic, he was thoroughly enjoying it. He worked at the video store until 9 pm and then went to the studio to do the recordings. Some of Kamal's most memorable interactions included interviewing Sunil Dutt, Pandit Jasraj, Manna Dey, and Shreya Ghoshal.

On December 1st, 1990, Kamal opened his video store on Victoria Drive, Kamal's Video Palace (KVP). Owing to his popularity, he sold his entire inventory of 300 videos on the opening day and did a business worth $35,000. The store became a focal point for the community and attracted politicians, business leaders, and entertainment personalities alike. Jagjit Singh, Alka Yagnik, Ghulam Ali, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Abida Parveen, Jazzy B, Harbhajan Mann, Pankaj Udhas, Gurdas Mann, Manmohan Waris, Sangtar & Kamal Heer, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pandit Jasraj, and Kailash Kher were some of the Indian and Pakistani artists who visited KVP. "It became a ritual—if a film star or singer from the community was coming to Vancouver, they had to visit Kamal's Video Palace," he shared.

Kamal attributes KVP's popularity to the fact that it was the first fully computerized video store in the South Asian community. It was also one of the first few stores to start cataloging different CDs and DVDs under different genres, making it easier for people to browse the store, which others followed later. But more than anything else, Kamal's clientele trusted him because he would exclusively deal in original prints. These made KVP a high-density store that would remain busy until 9/10 at night. Owing to its high footfall, the store also sold various concert tickets.

In 1994, one of Kamal's clients suggested that he foray into the concert business, an idea that seemed like a natural next step and led to the inception of KVP Entertainers. The first artist KVP Entertainers brought to Vancouver was

Jagjit Singh, and it was a massive success, with the entire show sold out a month in advance. At this point, he also started a second store at the 92nd on Scott Road in Surrey, which was becoming a hub for the South Asian community. According to Kamal, other businesses in the area decided to extend their lease owing to the popularity of his store. He continued to operate from there until 2003 when he moved into his building at 82nd on Scott Road. "At a time when most people thought that 92nd was the most exciting location, I could envision that the real strength of Scott Road was in the middle, and it would be the growth center of Surrey. Now 82 to 84 is the most lucrative real estate area in Surrey," he shared.

Under KVP Entertainers, Kamal brought a number of artists for the first time to Vancouver, including Hrithik Roshan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Roopkumar Rathod, Kailash Kher, Ustad Rashid Khan, Kabir Bedi, Kareena Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Mohit Chohan and legendary Reshma.

In 1997, for the 300th Anniversary of Khalsa, he called Daler Mehndi, the king of Punjabi pop whose music was popular and appealed to the masses. The concert was a huge success, and Vancouver Sun featured it on the front page of its entertainment section. Another of Kamal's memorable concerts was "Awesome Foursome" in 1998 at the Pacific Coliseum, bringing Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Juhi Chawla and Akshay

Kumar together. It differed from the other concerts as the venue offered a stage in the middle and a platform that ran around the circumference, allowing the actors to connect with the crowd.

Since then, Kamal has experimented with different genres – Bollywood, ghazals, folk, qawwali, classical vocal, classical instrumental, and theatre. He was one of the first to introduce Hindi theatre to the community bringing Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta and Rakesh Bedi with "Mera Woh Matlab Nahi Tha," which sold out completely and was a huge success. "This was the first time that the community got genuinely interested in theatre as they saw Bollywood artists coming and performing in these plays," he said. Later, he also brought "Kaifi Aur Main," a play in which Javed Akhtar plays Kaifi Azmi and Shabana Azmi plays her mother, Shaukat Azmi, where both engage in a soulful exploration of Kaifi Azmi's most iconic songs with Jasvinder Singh and his musical ensemble bringing those songs to life.

One of Kamal's career highlights involves bringing the revered Gulzar Saab to Vancouver, a legendary poet, director, and lyricist whose work left a lasting impression on him. Having been part of the entertainment industry for over four decades, Kamal considers hosting the legendary Mahendra Kapoor his most memorable accomplishment. "When I learned that he's coming to Vancouver, I knew it had to be special, and I had to do something different. So, I approached the Center for Performing Arts in Vancouver, which has a proud history of hosting great productions. While they were initially reluctant, I managed to persuade them - and this became the first South Asian concert to be held at the venue," he shared.

Mahendra Kapoor was 70, a bit shaky then, but he insisted on entering from the back and walking through the audience towards the stage. Kamal said: "I remember being hesitant and reluctantly acquiescing to the request, but that was one of the best decisions I've made because, to date, it gives me goosebumps when I remember his entry, reciting, 'Jab zero diya mere Bharat ne, Bharat ne mere Bharat ne…. Hai preet jahan ki reet sada,

Main geet wahan ke gata hoon…,' and the entire hall erupted. He was terrific and the best performance I have seen in my entire concert career".

Looking Ahead

Now, with KVP Entertainers, Kamal is focusing solely on the concert business as he shut down Kamal's Video Palace during the pandemic. He also founded the KVP Heritage Society to encourage and promote Indian classical music. Kamal has hosted eight shows this year, starting with a Bhajan program at the Hindu temple with classical vocalists. In March, he hosted "The Legends" across five cities in Western Canada. The event drew inspiration from Jolly Mukherjee's vision and showcased Indian vocalists performing timeless melodies from renowned actors such as Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, and Rajinder Kumar. Recently, he also hosted Zakhir Husain and the Masters of Percussion.

Next, he's excited and eagerly waiting to bring the first-ever musical, Mughal-e-Azam, from India to Vancouver, a massive production with over 150 artists touring 14 cities across North America.

Impact

Doing something for the community has always been a priority for Kamal. In the late 70s, the community was growing, and most people were working from morning till late evening and sorely missed South Asian entertainment. At that point, Kamal became the first to bring original movie prints to Vancouver. However, as videos took over, the few Bollywood movie theatres also got shut. At this point, Kamal's radio and TV shows offered the community a much-needed source of entertainment, which they looked forward to. With concerts, Kamal has contributed to changing the perception of Vancouver, which was perceived as a city with one of the toughest crowds. The fact that his concerts have never had any issues helped tremendously in improving the overall impression of the city.

Last year, post covid, Kamal successfully hosted a concert with Arijit Singh that attracted over 10,000 people and set the trend for other organizers who later brought Diljit Dosanjh and AP Dhillon, hosting a crowd of over 20,000 people each.

In 2022, BC Achievement Foundation honoured Kamal with the Annual Community Award. He's proud that his passion for the entertainment industry has helped fill the gap that existed in the community, which he feels has grown immensely in the last decade. "I feel a sense of satisfaction that I have contributed to the community's growth and helped keep it entrenched to its roots," he shared.

In today's rapidly changing world, public safety has become an increasingly pressing concern for communities worldwide. Recent incidents, including the tragic shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar that unfolded in our city, have brought this issue to the forefront, sparking discussions and calls for action. As we grapple with the aftermath of such events, it is essential to delve deeper into the multifaceted nature of public safety, and explore the ever so urgent need for comprehensive strategies that address the root causes of violence while fostering a sense of security and resilience among individuals and communities alike.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General shares that the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey is profoundly disturbing, “Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this crime. It’s particularly troubling that the shooting took place outside a place of worship, where people should be able to gather in safety with friends, family and community members. We understand that there is widespread grief and anxiety after this shooting. Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death is being investigated by the

Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, and they are working with policing partners and communities to track down the parties responsible for this crime.” Responsible for delivering public safety services in British Columbia, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General expresses that any type of violence that endangers people in BC is unacceptable, assuring the public that the government is working on every front to make sure everyone feels safe in their communities. In fact, with support from the Federal government, approximately $100M is being invested to address gun and gang violence this year. In addition, the Province has approved an unprecedented, multi-year investment of approximately $230 million to the base funding for the RCMP to hire additional officers under the Safer Communities Action Plan. That includes hiring additional officers in specialized units, such as the major crimes section.

Member of Parliament for Surrey-Newton, Sukh Dhaliwal also echoes that every Canadian deserves to feel safe in their neighborhoods and communities, including places of worship, “Canada is a country of diversity, peace, and inclusion. We cannot, and we will not, tolerate hate and violence. Following the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, I, along with several members of the Sikh Liberal Caucus, met with the Minister of Public Safety to highlight concerns raised by members of the public. Minister Marco Mendicino assured us that the government is working closely with law enforcement, to protect the Sikh community, and all Canadians.” Dhaliwal details that on June 28th, the Minister of Public Safety launched the 2023 Security Infrastructure Program, providing community institutions the resources they need to make safety improvements, as the program will fund up to 50% of the cost of security equipment, up to a maximum of $100,000 per project. Eligible recipients include com- munity centers, educational institutions, places of worship and others. In May, the government announced an investment of $390 million through the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund, including $54.7 million earmarked for British Columbia. Funding over the next five years will help provinces and territories with a variety of initiatives to combat gun and gang violence, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. Moreover, this year, $3.95 million from the Building Safer Communities Fundis is being directed to the City of Surrey to support local initiatives that prevent gun and gang violence and help young people make good choices.

Elaborating further, Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, Randeep Sarai shares his perspective, “We are all very concerned as to what happened to Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He was a father, a husband, businessman, and community leader. We have been in constant contact with the Minister of Public Safety, Marco Mendocino to avail him of the community’s concerns and he has met with members of the Sikh Liberal Caucus, Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Committee, and the Nijjar family and has assured them that they will give law enforcement all the resources and tools to capture those responsible for this heinous crime. Minister Mendocino is also working closely with Minister Farnworth in BC and with the community and addressing the concerns they have, including offering resources to improve security at places of worship”.

Evidently, the recent shooting incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for enhanced public safety measures. The loss of Hardeep Singh Nijjar has deeply affected the community, emphasizing the importance of creating safe spaces for everyone, including places of worship. Action is crucial in ensuring the safety and security of all Canadians, and serves as a reminder that continued collaboration between government, law enforcement, and communities is vital to prevent such tragic incidents and create a society where everyone can live without fear. Public safety remains a top priority, and it is through these collective efforts that we can strive for a safer and more secure future for all.

What got you interested in makeup?

Coming from a family of musicians, writers, poets, painters and photographers, I have always been surrounded by creativity and art. It was only natural for me to explore my artistic talents, including sketching, fashion design, DIY crafts, and, eventually, makeup artistry. My parents were successful wedding photographers and videographers in the event industry. I started my career assisting them as a camera operator at only 13 years of age, so I would spend a lot of time in the bridal suite. I noticed back then (late 90's/ early 00's) many brides did not have a professional artist with them. Their family members often dressed them, and cousins would help with hair and makeup. I saw that as a huge opportunity to offer more professional guidance and assistance, and since I already knew what looked good on camera (I had my own experience with makeup and modelling for my father's portfolio), I would help adjust their makeup to be more flattering for photos. I soon realized that bridal makeup artistry was something I should seriously pursue and offer as a bonus to my parent's wedding photography business.