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on 2006/7/7 5:22:04
The commercial pull of Bollywood sees no sign of abating with news that a new musical celebrating the film industry's drama and extravaganza will launch in October this year.
The Merchants of Bollywood will be based on the career of film choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant and will feature songs and actors from the Mumbai based entertainment industry. It has already met with success in Australia.
The stage play will follow the clash of generations and ambition among Bollywood stars. It is said to be "a potent mixture of dreams and sacrifices, family rebellion and romance".
Writer and director Toby Gough said it would be "a hugely entertaining beginners’ guide" and a bit of an education about the industry. "The show will give them the opportunity to experience the magic live on stage by the people who created the movies and the songs that have become international hits."
He called it more genuine and authentic than Bombay Dreams (pictured), the Andrew Lloyd Webber play written by Meera Syal, because its cast would comprise of genuine Bollywood stars.
Bombay Dreams premiered in June 2002 and ran successfully for two years, recouping much more than the original investment. It also ran for eight months in New York's Broadway.
The Merchants of Bollywood will feature a crew of 40 dancers, singers, actors and musicians. Each performer will change their costume 12 times during the show.
It will be produced here by Harvey Goldsmith, the man behind Live Aid and Live8 concerts. He said: "I was taken to see the show by a friend in Australia and fell in love with it on the spot. I was just enveloped by the fantastic atmosphere in the audience. I am just giving UK audiences the opportunity to be a part of an invigorating and extraordinary experience."
Premiering at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre on 24 October 2006, it will tour to Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Bradford, Cambridge and Cardiff before coming to London's Hammersmith Apollo in time for Christmas.
Vaibhavi Merchant said: "I wanted to create a new and truly authentic show that audiences across the world could relate to. Bollywood has become a huge industry, not just for Asians, but for everyone. Anyone with even a remote interest in Asian culture will know about Bollywood, but may not have experienced it in all its glory."
She has choreographed popular films including Oscar-nominated Lagaan and more recently Fanaa.
"The Merchants of Bollywood is colourful, dynamic, vibrant and for me the most exciting project I have worked on. The UK has shown a growing fascination for Indian films, and I wanted to bring some of the amazing talent that is a core part of Indian films to the UK for audiences to get a live Bollywood experience," she added.
source:AIM
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