Naach Houston Breaks Records at Miller Outdoor Theater with an Audience of over 8,000

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By Staff Reporter

HOUSTON: Houston’s Got Bollywood… and how! For the thousands of fans at the Miller Outdoor Theater, a beautiful evening in Spring couldn’t have had a better culmination then watching a colorful entertaining Bollywood Theatrical production, conceived and directed by the maestro Mahesh Mahbubani, presented by India House on April 15.

 

It was a first of all sorts – even with Naach’s extensive repertoire of Bollywood shows performed in the last ten years – first time in three years, a Naach production outdid itself at Miller, the line at the ticket window stretched around the Miller box office three hours before the ticket window opened .The evening opened to an overwhelming audience of over 8000 people, camped on the hill on a sunny Saturday afternoon from 3 pm in the evening for a show that started at 8:15 PM.

Colonel Vipin Kumar, the Executive Director of India House welcomed the enthusiastic audience by sharing a film on India House activities that have had a tremendously positive impact on the community.

Then the curtained opened for “Houston’s Got Bollywood- The Red Carpet” with title track from Raees and foot tapping renewed version of yesteryears’ classic Laila.

The stage opened to a breathtaking view of white drapes akin to a large chandelier, lit in hues of Blue and amber, setting the dance floor ablaze with over 30 performers moving like a symphony of dynamic bodies in motion.

The production design included mesmerizing Visuals, created by Mahesh Mahbubani, Amazing Lighting design by Arif Memon, foot tapping sound score and exquisite costumes all the way from Bollywood, woven together to transport the audience to a magical realm, lasting over 90 minutes nonstop.

Houston’s got Bollywood a fast paced high-energy show included four acts.

Act 1 titled Mausam (The Seasons) started off with the season of Summer, heart throbbing dance to Cutie Pie followed by the most romantic of all seasons – Monsoons danced to Ghanan and Cham. Followed by sultry winter, a stunning contemporary dance to Samjhavaan concluded by foot tapping songs in the season of spring, Nach De Saare and Saj dhaj ke bringing the full cycle of four seasons and Act 1 to an end.

Act 2, called Night at the Movies, was introduced with included scenes from the movies on the screen as a prelude to the dance, the opening track brought the crowd on to their feet with a Bhangra flavor in Tootak Tootak and the current chart topper Break Up Song. Baby ko Bass Pasand hai brought the house down followed by Havan Karenge. High heels brought an epic act to close with audience in the seating area up on their feet with the Naach dancers.

The Art in Bollywood was showcased in Act 3, aptly titled La Galleria D’ Arte inspired by Still Life Paintings. The opening dance Labon Ka Karobar set off with visuals of Parisian Night life, choreographed in Indo Jazz dance style was a classic followed by a complete shift in tempo with Beat pe Booty –

The centre of this act was Jag Ghoomeya a contemporary Sufi dance featuring The Artistic Director of Naach Mahesh Mahbubani himself on stage in a black and gold Sufi costume , accompanied by Naach Performers.

The dance opened with a poem penned by him, he moved like an ethereal being, beautiful and fluid. Keeping the audiences enraptured, and bringing tears of joy. The next dance Marjawaan was inspired by Haute Couture, costumes designed by Anil Rana from Envy Couture. The concluding dance of this act was a Dynamic and complex contemporary piece to Humma a new version created by Musical Maestro a AR Rahman.

What’s a Bollywood movie without a Hero. Act 4 dedicated to the quintessential Bollywood superstar opened with Jabra Fan going into a Prabhudeva classic Muqabla an ode to the Texan cowboy in Bollywood style, followed by the song that’s on everyone’s minds, lips and even eyes Kaala Chashma –

Naach showing prowess in Hip Hop as well as Contemporary and Bollywood dancing styles. The Finale was a rocking Bollywood track – the title song from ‘Badri Ki Dulhania’ as all the fifty dancers took stage with the entire technical team, with The Naach signature Balloon drop ending the show.

A Big thank you to the amazing Naach Faculty, Anita Vyas, Shah Ahmed, Zohair Alam, Prita Kapoor, Nirju Tailor and Disha Sapna Thadani.

We are very grateful to all our sponsors, St Luke’s Hospital, Ajay and Larrissa Sharma, Outsource energy and the Rungta Foundation. To our media sponsor Vanshika Vipin Varma of Indo-American News and to Miller outdoor Theatre and Cissy Segall Davis for her passion and support, bringing the best performances to the Houston audiences.

For further details about Naach Houston and the services they offer in Bollywood dance and Fitness visit www.naachhouston.com