Debashine Thangevelo
BOLLYWOOD has influenced fashion, cuisine and music and become a phenomenon around the globe. Although we are treated to myriad concerts every year, lavish Bollywood musicals don’t often come to our shores.
That’s why Blame it on Bollywood will pique the interest of die-hards. In fact, the heavy-weights in Indian cinema like Akshay Kumar and Juhi Chawla have been raving about this production by Ashvin Gidwani (producer) and Bharat Dabholkar (writer and director).
Tonight spoke to Gidwani, a doyen when it comes to stage productions of this magnitude.
He says: “Well, we (Dabholkar and he) have been toying with the idea of doing something with Indian weddings. It has become bigger than Bollywood films. In fact, the wedding business makes a billion dollars every year. It has grown exponentially, thanks to Bollywood movies over the past 10 to 15 years. Now it has become a five-, six- and even seven-day affair. Sometimes it is about egos, a show of strength and wealth. Sometimes it is different variations with the wedding theme.”
So, with the wedding scene being so popular, the decision was made to incorporate all the elements that make it the spectacular that it is (on and off screen, that is) for a musical.
He adds: “It’s become so huge that you now have Indian actors and singers performing at weddings.”
Blame it on Bollywood centres on the union of two people from different social backgrounds. This provides the context to explore a mix of dramatic and comedic elements. Of course, it is interspersed with song and dance.
Tours they have done so far – across India, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, among others – have been well received.
Gidwani has already been to South Africa to talent scout for the production.
He offers: “The core actors are from India. But I have flown to do auditions in South Africa. It was such a experience working with the artists. They are way above the level I have seen of artists in West End. They are disciplined, well-trained and so passionate.”
The locals who cracked the nod share one common factor – they love to dance.
Delving more into the intricacies of his role, he says it is a marriage of story with talent and performance. Everything has to fit and flow.
“The first thing one looks at is the content. You have to look at the script and what you get involved with. It has to also mirror the talent of the writer/director. And there are very few combinations like that. Our belief is that the person who writes the script and trained as a director is the best person to create the magic on stage.
“Then you look at the right cast, auditioning, workshops and basically road mapping the show. That’s the most exciting part for the producer.”
Of the cast, Gidwani praises: “Jayati Bhatia (the mother of the bride) is from TV and theatre. She is trained as an Indian classical dancer and was on the biggest dance reality show. Anant Mahadevan is a renowned theatre actor and Bollywood film director as well.”
Talking sets, he says, “The set is mounted on LED walls. But all the peripherals, props and costumes will be flown in from India.”
Blame it on Bollywood offers a mix of high-octane dancing, larger-than-life characters, drama and comedy. It’s all the glamour and glitz you expect from an Indian wedding and it’s underpinned by the pandemonium that often gets swept under the carpet.
l Blame it on Bollywood, The Teatro at Montecasino from October 6 to 11, 8pm. Matinee at 3pm on Saturday. 2pm and 6pm on Sunday. R150 to R450 at Computicket and the box office. Stay packages: at The Palazzo (R4 085), Montecasino’s Southern Sun (R3 510) and Sunsquare (R2 425).