BOLLYWOOD MUSICAL DEBUTS IN BANGKOK

       Bangkok has embraced a number of marvellous musicals from both New York's Broadway and London's West End in recent years, not to mention many Thai-branded yet sold-out musicals of our local taste. Each of the shows became the talk of the town and makes Thai audiences eager to see more of such lavish productions full of joyful dance moves and popular music.
       And in only three weeks' time, we will see musicals in a new light when the highlyacclaimed The Merchants of Bollywood will be making its debut in the Kingdom with eight rounds at the Royal Paragon Hall of Siam Paragon on Oct 22-26. The showtime is 7:30pm on Thur and Mon, and 1pm and 5pm on Fri-Sun.
       Featuring music composed by Oscarwinning composer AR Rahman,The Merchants of Bollywood is an all-singing,all dancing Bollywood musical extravaganza that has already been hailed as a spectacular success by audiences and critics in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany,Switzerland, South Africa, Australia and Malaysia.
       Set to appear in Bangkok will be its original cast, which has been travelling around the world performing to sold-out theatres.
       The production features 1,200 costume changes and 2,500 pieces of Indian jewellery for a cast of 53, as well as 40 years of Bollywood history wrapped up into 90 minutes of swirling colours, sparkle, shimmer and electrifying energy that excites the senses.
       It tells the tale of Ayesha Merchant, the granddaughter of Shantilal Merchant, one of Bollywood's most acclaimed choreographers from the Hindi film industry's golden era.
       Shantilal has taught Ayesha Indian classical dance in their home in Rajasthan, but Ayesha has dreams of making her name in Bollywood. She then leaves home for Mumbai and finds great success in films.
       Her rebellion against her classical training, in favour of modern western dance styles, was the seed of the feud with her grandfather. The damage seems irreparable.However, the emotional pull of her dying grandfather and her childhood sweetheart Uday lure her home.
       There is no-one left to continue the family tradition - performing the dance of the Gods. So Ayesha decides to marry Uday,run her father's dance school and maintain the family traditions. But she will run the school her way, with a balance of old and new.
       The finale of the show is colourful, thrilling, high-energy fusion of folk, classical,modern, Western and Indian dance forms.Tears are shed, old wounds are healed,age-old conflicts are reconciled in a powerful journey to the sacred heart of dance.
       The narrated story unfolds in the form of high-energy dance routines, by a terrific company - all with toned bellies and perfect bodies. Audiences can look forward to a cast whose energy is electrifying and dance moves suffused with a rush of joy and yet ruthlessly precise.
       And the musical's final number,It's Time to Disco , taken from the Bollywood hit Kal Ho Naa Ho , is bound to have any audience on their feet and dancing.
       Tickets for The Merchants of Bollywood cost 900,1,500,2,000 and 3,000 baht and can be purchased from Thaiticketmajor booths. Call 02-262-3456 orvisit www.thaiticketmajor.com.