Bollywood magic at Conrad Jupiters
By RAMA GAIND
ALL the glitz, gloss, glamour and opulence associated with Indian cinema is revealed in an exhilarating musical – The Merchants of Bollywood – which is on at Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Coast until October 19.
After successful seasons in London and Europe, this international smash hit extravaganza captures the essence of India with its rich, colourful, diverse culture and its people in a world of technicolour brilliance. It reveals the part cinema plays in the heart and soul of Indian society through an extraordinary evening of music and dance at the heart of which lies a genuine story of a young girl, her grandfather who was a tough taskmaster, settling for nothing less than perfection and their love of dance.
The energetic celebration features a youthful cast of 40 dancing and singing their way through choreography by Vaibhavi Merchant, granddaughter of Harilal Merchant, one of the founding fathers of classic Bollywood cinema.
On stage, the pivotal performer is Ayesha (Carol Furtado) who looks back on the traditional start to her career and the break with her mentor grandfather when she goes to Bollywood and makes her name as Indian filmdom’s Princess of Romance.
Her grandfather, Shantilal (Arif Zakaria), rejects the style and approach of Bollywood and they become estranged – until she returns to her birthplace and meets former boyfriend, Uday (Deepak Rawat).
This sets a framework for dance that reflects some of the most popular of the 800 films made every year in Mumbai. Lip-synching their way through the songs, the dancers perform dance that is linked mostly to recent movies, but also to a clutch of classics naming legendary actors from 1955 to 1974. From disco and hip-hop to classical, they look like they’re having a fabulous time and their vivacity carries the audience on a collective surge of harmonious clapping and toe-tapping.
After the intense opening with the Natraja, in the Temple of Shiva, there’s an abundance of nostalgic songs and also some comic relief with the antics of Pramod Pathak and Romi Jaspal who play Tony Bakshi and Happy Singh.
The show was a brainchild of writer-director Toby Gough and the music – written and arranged by Salim and Sulaiman – has an irresistible beat. Copious changes of shimming costumes, sensational lighting and frenetic flow of on-stage activity add to the razzle dazzle that results in electrifying energy on the podium.
The storyline for this lavish production may be simple, but this was one high-octane, sparkling spectacular which left the audience clamouring for more!
