A sweet story of fate brought us together. Shaaista was hosting a Childline Gala Women’s Day luncheon and I was supporting the cause. This chance encounter led us to fast becoming friends and not too long after, romantically involved. After marrying, we realised that the best way forward would be for me to join Shaaista’s Blu Blood venture and to merge our brands and focus full time on our passion for live entertainment instead of working on our own individual business entities. 15 years later, shared interests and mutual passions made this a decision we haven’t regretted since.

 

 

I realised my passion at a young age in a chance encounter with the entertainment business. My long-standing relationship with events and productions was spurred on by a strong need to make some money in my school days which drove me to find temporary work at a community event and the rest, as they say, is history. Life and trial and error has been the best university that I could ever attend. Our passion for what we do, and our hard work and perseverance has earned us a strong global network and relationships. We always had aspirations to break into the international market and building on that global footprint, we’ve become synonymous as leading event producers in South Africa and the UAE and our next step is to expand our empire into the Middle East and through Africa.  

 

 

I’m a deal maker.  Ask anyone invested in the entertainment economy just how challenging and demanding the sector is, and they’ll tell you it’s not for the faint-hearted.  Blu Blood has been a labour of love, a business that – since our very first show night – continues to thrive thanks to our collective investment in something precious and equally potent – happiness.  We’re in the BUSINESS OF HAPPINESS and we’re about bringing people together and bringing them happiness.  The difference we have made is once you attend one of our events, you leave your problems at the door and enjoy yourself for the duration of the show. 

 

 

In only a few short years, we have made significant strides in the UAE. We made the bold move of relocating our family and expanding our business empire from South Africa to the UAE.   For both of us, having our businesses not only maintain but thrive through a centennial event like Covid has been a major success in our eyes. We successfully hosted the first Bollywood large-scale concert with “Covid-consciousness” in a time when the world was shut down when we brought together musicians from across the UAE with Sonu Nigam.  We played an integral part in re-opening the entertainment industry in Dubai.  

 

To make a difference we have to be the difference we want to see in our respective fields of industry and especially as global citizens. Seizing opportunities by being visionaries and seeing the solution and not dwelling upon the problem. Our journey thus far has seen us host the stages to many local and internationally renowned performers the likes of Shreya Ghoshal, Atif Aslam, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Sean Paul, Orlando Jones, Russel Peters, James Blunt, Boyz II Men, Abida Parveen and many more. We have worked with the creme de la creme of South African comedy and we are the creators of the long-standing comedy brand, The Kings and Queens of Comedy. 

 

I have charmed my way through boardrooms and through my very own Blu Blood journey in both the business and the global entertainment sectors and some of my career highlights that stand out include being an executive producer of the South African film production of Material and co-producer of New Material and co-owner of two-time winners’ Northern Warriors T10 cricket team.

 

Taking it one day at a time, we have made the best of constantly changing situations and challenges.  As the saying goes, “The show must go on”, and as is more lovingly known in our midst, it certainly will, The Blu Blood way.