/> The unconventionally-planned music release of Aashayein at the Heritage Property in Bandra turned out to be far more unusual than planned.

After John sang the number he had diligently rehearsed, the girls forced him and the band back on stage.

"It was simply crazy," says the executive producer of Aashayein Elahi Hiptoolah.

"We hadn't planned a big music launch and we certaintly had no clue there was another music launch (for Love Story 2050) the same evening. We just wanted to do something different.

So we thought of making all the singers including John perform their tracks from Aashayein live on stage. We never thought there would be such a massive turn-out, or that John would take his first live performance so seriously."

Laughs Elahi, "I think we underestimated John's pull. And his pursuit of excellence. I thought he'd come on stage croon a few lines, shake his hips in tight trousers, blow kisses and melt into the night. No way.

John arrived at 3 in the afternoon for the technical rehearsal. By the time the evening came he was fully prepared. And so was the audience. It was all calm, peaceful and romantic with a 3,000-strong audience waiting quietly by the seaside."

When John was delayed Shankar Mahadevan kept the audience entertained with songs from Nagesh Kukunoor's films.

"And then it happened," Elahi recounts. "John sang Ab mujhko jeena. There was a deathly silence and then the roar 'Once More Once More' began - until it grew into a deafening crescendo.

Salim-Suleiman's band had already packed up and left. They had to be called back to unzip their equipment and accompany John's singing."

Yes, John sang an encore on the audiences' request.

A playback singer in the offing?

The other surprise of the evening. Nagesh Kukunoor joing John for impromptu singing. By then the audience had got more than what they had bargained for.