It was just another day for visitors at Delhi's Summer House Cafe, until Coldplay frontman Chris Martin took to the stage for an "impromptu" jam and stunned them.
The singer, who is in India with the Global Poverty Project to oversee innovative projects addressing sanitation in local communities, paid a visit to the cafe along with actress Freida Pinto. Also present were music director Vishal Dadlani, musician Raghu Dixit and members of standup comedy collective All India Bakchod.
"Best night this year! Listened @ChrisOfColdplay sing and play my guitar and the crowd going Para Para Paradise," Raghu posted on Twitter.
Dadlani, however, confirmed on his Twitter page that "it wasn't an event".
"It wasn't an event. We were at a dinner together, and he just went 'let's go play somewhere'. And, boom," he posted on the micro-blogging site.
Manish, manager at Summer House Cafe, said that they hadn't planned it and the Coldplay singer crooned "a couple of songs" on stage.
"They just came in and had a couple of drinks. Vishal and AIB team they offered Chris if they can play a couple of songs. I don't think that they have any shows planned here as he is the only one from the band to visit India," he told IANS.
AIB shared a picture with Martin and Dadlani on their official Facebook page with the caption: "Hello Coldplay fans. We just introduced him (Chris Martin) on stage to do a set at Summerhouse cafe. Bizarre, fun evening."
"Delhi, actually, Summer House. More jam, less gig. Chris did all the work, though. People were going apes**t," Dadlani wrote on Twitter.
During their trip to India, Chris Martin and Freida Pinto will meet key government leaders, non-profit partners in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) space, and participate in field visits to see innovative projects addressing sanitation in local communities throughout India.
Chris and Freida are key supporters of the organisation, and the "Slumdog Millionaire" star has previously used her voice to show her commitment to girls and women's education and empowerment.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
