Merchants Of Bollywood

The Merchants of Bollywood


The International smash hit returns to Australian stages after it's triumphant World tour.

The glamour and glitter that is Bollywood returns to the Australian stages in 2010 following its worldwide success and rave reviews. "The Merchants of Bollywood" features a cast of 40 performers direct from Film City Mumbai - the home of Bollywood Cinema.

After more than 850 performances and seen by over 2 Million people worldwide, "The Merchants of Bollywood" returns to Australia after it's critically-acclaimed international tour. The hit seasons include London, Berlin, Paris, Hamburg, Vienna, Amsterdam, Barcelo...

The Merchants of Bollywood


The International smash hit returns to Australian stages after it's triumphant World tour.

The glamour and glitter that is Bollywood returns to the Australian stages in 2010 following its worldwide success and rave reviews. "The Merchants of Bollywood" features a cast of 40 performers direct from Film City Mumbai - the home of Bollywood Cinema.

After more than 850 performances and seen by over 2 Million people worldwide, "The Merchants of Bollywood" returns to Australia after it's critically-acclaimed international tour. The hit seasons include London, Berlin, Paris, Hamburg, Vienna, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Geneva, Rome, Milan and other major cities. "The Merchants of Bollywood" will feature all the glitz, glamour, song, dance and romance that we know as "Bollywood". Bangles and beads, swirling colours in costumes and sets, and high-energy music, will excite the senses in this lavish new production that is bigger, bolder, brighter and features all the smash hit songs from the biggest Bollywood blockbusters.

**** Stars from The Times, London: "Their energy is electrifying, their movements suffused with a rush of joy and yet ruthlessly precise and the frenetic flow of onstage activity is almost non-stop. It's a high octane pleasure!"

A theatrical dance spectacular, "The Merchants of Bollywood" charts the enchanting history of the world's largest and most prolific film industry, and a dynasty of stars that have lit its way over generations. "The Merchants of Bollywood" transcends time and is a touching tribute to the Bollywood greats of yesterday and the box-office hits of today, notably "Slumdog Millionaire".

A fictional story, yet based on real life, "The Merchants of Bollywood" will reveal to the Western audience the workings of cinema and the part it plays in the heart and soul of Indian society in an extraordinary evening of music and dance at the heart of which lies a heartfelt story of a young girl, her grandfather and their love of dance.


"The Merchants of Bollywood" has captured the essence of India, its rich and diverse culture, and its people in a world of technicolour brilliance acclaimed by patrons and reviewers alike:

"...4 stars - Taut and buff bodies glisten......dazzle, shimmer and sparkle...the choreography and visual appeal is as slick and sexy as any MTV promo" ... The London Metro

"Uplifting show.....a real dazzler" ... The Birmingham Post

"One can't get enough of this artistic, spectacular" .... Berliner Morgenpost

"Enthralling dance steps, lively rhythms and bold sound...splendid, colourful costumes...indulgence for all the sense" ... tz, Munich

"...glittery costumes and jewellery, high octane music, flashy dance moves...." ... The Star

"The Merchants of Bollywood is a turbo-charged couple of hours of song and dance performed with such utter enthusiasm....the blindingly extravagant costumes and lighting are matched only by the fast-paced dance routines from the 40 dancers and actors from Mumbai" ... The West Australian

"The Merchants of Bollywood" features choreography by the internationally famed Vaibhavi Merchant, regarded as one of Bollywood¹s top young choreographers, and the granddaughter of Hiralalji Merchant, one the founding fathers of classic Bollywood Cinema. She has choreographed all of Bollywood¹s biggest stars including mega-star Ashwarya Rai in hit films including Bunty Aur Babli. The music is written and arranged by Salim and Sulaiman Merchant who wrote the music for Naach, and Dhoom, which sold over 500 million tickets worldwide. They composed a song titled ‘We Like Being Small", for Nickelodeon USA's popular show Wonder Pets. The complete score for the episode ‘Save the Bengal Tiger' - won them a nomination for Outstanding Original Song at the prestigious Daytime EMMY Awards for Outstanding Original Song in the Children's-Animation Category. Costumes worth in excess of $1 Million consist of 3800 glittering and lavish costumes and 2000 pieces of jewellery - designed by Bipin Tana, and the set designed by Sabu Cyril who was recently awarded Best Art Design in Bollywood cinema.  

"The Merchants of Bollywood" has been produced by Mark & Tony Brady in collaboration with Bollywood¹s most highly regarded film and stage artists. The show premiered in 2005 and since then has been staged in over 20 countries inclusive a hit season in London. It features songs and dance from the smash-hit movies Lagaan, Devdas, Musafir, Bunty Aur Babli, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Rang de Basanti, Dhoom and Dhoom 2 - music from the Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman, and the great moments of Bollywood live on stage in a lavish production capturing the essence of India, its rich and diverse culture, and its people in a world of technicolor brilliance.

"The Merchants of Bollywood" will be staged exclusively at the following Theatres in Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney:

MELBOURNE - 17th February to 28th February 2010
STATE THEATRE, THE ARTS CENTRE

SYDNEY - 23rd March to 11th April 2010
STATE THEATRE

For a night of pure escapism, don't miss The Merchants of Bollywood.