The long awaited Bombay Dreams thread!!!

rab · Aug 8th, 2004, 20:42

I can't believe no-one has started a Bombay Dreams thread before on Indiamike. I went to see the show in February 2003 at the Apollo in London. I thought of mentioning it on here but thought I would be shouted down as it was not about India Travel and is a bit mainstream - average Joe's only view of India etc etc.

So I waited and waited, no-one posted so I kept it to myself. But now I have to come out...

I love the show!!! It was a special show at a special time. You see we had just told my sister that we were going to move to Australia and she was a bit upset (for the Aussies ha ha!) and all that. But she sat by me and we watched the show start with the Bombay street scene all dark and eerie, then up came the music all slow and moving and I looked at Gill and she was crying at the whole spectacle.

From start to finish it is an outstanding show and I would thoroughly recommend it. Yes I know it is kitsch, I know it is not real Bollywood, I know it is western entertainment all glossed up and yes I know too it overlooks all the poverty and poor health and everything.

But I still loved it. The whole moving spectacle was great fun. So here is your chance to review this show, the story, the songs, the performances, the CD, the London show or have you seen it in New York?

Maybe the true test is whether Bombay Dreams makes you want to go back to London (or Broadway, NY) or like me does it make you want to go back to India?

Over to you guys...

sillylilly · Aug 8th, 2004, 21:17

I saw this show in New York and thought it was fun. The role of Rani played by Ayesha Dharkar was awesome. Some of the non-Indian audience did not get all the jokes and kind of looked a bit confused but I guess the Shakala Baby song kept them entertained. Good stuff.....like watching a bad (but entertaining) Hindi movie in 3D instead of 2D.

Arun · Aug 9th, 2004, 00:43

Does "Shakalaka" mean anything in Hindi? I think it was "Hollywood Bollywood" where the characters kept saying the phrase...

Theon · Aug 9th, 2004, 01:38

I watched the show too but thought it could have been so much better. Some of the songs I loved from the CD of the original London cast were cut or modified in the Broadway version. The lead female (Priya) wasn't at her best the night I saw the show in NYC; she missed a few high notes. The music is amazing nonetheless. The songs I really enjoyed: Shakalaka Baby (duh!) and The Wedding Qawwali (the live singers were amazing).

If you've watched the UK show "Goodness Gracious Me", you'll realize that Meera Syal, one of the writers, rehashed some of her old show's material for the musical. But if you haven't watched "Goodness Gracious Me", the show will still seem pretty fresh.

Even with all of these complaints, I still loved the show.

rab · Aug 9th, 2004, 20:32

... but does it make you want to go back to India or does it make you want to go back to Broadway or the West End?

For me the only thing missing was the fact that in the score there were beautiful melodies which could have been made more of and refrained within the show later on - the songs lacked a little continuity in other words. But as a stage show, which after all is all it is, I loved it.

Just wondered if anyone would come off the fence and say it was shit?!!?!!

Aug 8th, 2004, 20:42	#1
rab Honorary Mod Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: McLaren Vale, South Australia Posts: 1,217	The long awaited Bombay Dreams thread!!! I can't believe no-one has started a Bombay Dreams thread before on Indiamike. I went to see the show in February 2003 at the Apollo in London. I thought of mentioning it on here but thought I would be shouted down as it was not about India Travel and is a bit mainstream - average Joe's only view of India etc etc. So I waited and waited, no-one posted so I kept it to myself. But now I have to come out... I love the show!!! It was a special show at a special time. You see we had just told my sister that we were going to move to Australia and she was a bit upset (for the Aussies ha ha!) and all that. But she sat by me and we watched the show start with the Bombay street scene all dark and eerie, then up came the music all slow and moving and I looked at Gill and she was crying at the whole spectacle. From start to finish it is an outstanding show and I would thoroughly recommend it. Yes I know it is kitsch, I know it is not real Bollywood, I know it is western entertainment all glossed up and yes I know too it overlooks all the poverty and poor health and everything. But I still loved it. The whole moving spectacle was great fun. So here is your chance to review this show, the story, the songs, the performances, the CD, the London show or have you seen it in New York? Maybe the true test is whether Bombay Dreams makes you want to go back to London (or Broadway, NY) or like me does it make you want to go back to India? Over to you guys... __________________ IndiaMike Mod Team (The Honorary One)

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Aug 8th, 2004, 21:17	#2
sillylilly monki..me? Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 161	I saw this show in New York and thought it was fun. The role of Rani played by Ayesha Dharkar was awesome. Some of the non-Indian audience did not get all the jokes and kind of looked a bit confused but I guess the Shakala Baby song kept them entertained. Good stuff.....like watching a bad (but entertaining) Hindi movie in 3D instead of 2D.

Aug 9th, 2004, 00:43	#3
Arun zindabad! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Israel Posts: 170	Does "Shakalaka" mean anything in Hindi? I think it was "Hollywood Bollywood" where the characters kept saying the phrase...

Aug 9th, 2004, 01:38	#4
Theon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 146	I watched the show too but thought it could have been so much better. Some of the songs I loved from the CD of the original London cast were cut or modified in the Broadway version. The lead female (Priya) wasn't at her best the night I saw the show in NYC; she missed a few high notes. The music is amazing nonetheless. The songs I really enjoyed: Shakalaka Baby (duh!) and The Wedding Qawwali (the live singers were amazing). If you've watched the UK show "Goodness Gracious Me", you'll realize that Meera Syal, one of the writers, rehashed some of her old show's material for the musical. But if you haven't watched "Goodness Gracious Me", the show will still seem pretty fresh. Even with all of these complaints, I still loved the show.

Aug 9th, 2004, 20:32	#5
rab Honorary Mod Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: McLaren Vale, South Australia Posts: 1,217	... but does it make you want to go back to India or does it make you want to go back to Broadway or the West End? For me the only thing missing was the fact that in the score there were beautiful melodies which could have been made more of and refrained within the show later on - the songs lacked a little continuity in other words. But as a stage show, which after all is all it is, I loved it. Just wondered if anyone would come off the fence and say it was shit?!!?!!

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