A private music and dance show titled Magic of Bollywood – conceived by the well-known Indian choreographer, singer and actor Ganesh Hegde – will be held at Emirates Palace on Wednesday, October 29.
More than 1,000 invitations have been sent out for the exclusive concert, which is backed by B R Shetty, the founder and chief executive of NMC Healthcare.
The Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra will headline the 90-minute extravaganza, supported by a cast of 85 performers including Elli Avram, the Swedish-Greek Bollywood actress, dancer and Bigg Boss 7 reality TV show star; the model, singer and VJ Anushka Manchanda; and the Indian model, actor and VJ Purab Kohli, among others.
Hegde’s previous work includes India’s Zee Cine Awards since its debut in 1998, the Filmfare Awards since 2004; and numerous international stage shows such as Temptations 2004 and SRK Temptations Reloaded 2008, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukerji.
The Abu Dhabi show has been conceived on a similar scale, with an LED lights display, pyrotechnics and image mapping – where images will be projected on a 3-D wall to create a moving background during the performances.
Chopra, who organisers say will appear on stage on a specially designed prop, will also feature in multiple dance sequences and participate in the grand finale.
Like Shah Rukh Khan, the actress is a frequent visitor to the UAE. She attended the Dubai International Film Festival 2013 to promote the release of her film Gunday along with her co-stars Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. This year, she was chosen as the face of the fashion label Guess, and visited Dubai in March to launch the brand's new boutique in Dubai Festival City.
Bollywood celebrities spotted at ADFF last year included the veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee, the directors Jahnu Barua and M S Sathyu, the producer Ashok Amritraj, and the crossover actor Irrfan Khan, famous for his performances in Life of Pi (2012) and The Lunchbox (2013), which screened at ADFF last year. This year, Khan returns to the capital as a jury member for ADFF's Narrative Feature competition.
• Magic of Bollywood is on Wednesday, October 29, at 8pm, at The Auditorium, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
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