New Delhi, (IANS) — The Bachchan's Unforgettable Tour extravaganza is no lightweight matter! Around 800 costumes, 10-15 tonnes of luggage and a backstage army of 150 helpers are part of each show that the Bollywood star family is wowing worldwide audiences with.
Giving an inside view of the happenings backstage, Viraf Sarkari, the brain behind the show, told IANS from New York on phone: "We are travelling with about 800 costumes and 10-15 tonnes of luggage that include props, equipment and baggage."
The backstage army numbers 150. "There are 40 dancers, all from Shiamak Davar's troupe and nearly 60 people managing travel, costumes, wardrobes, stage and other paraphernalia," said Viraf, director of Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd.
The tsars of Bollywood entertainment, Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya, held a mega three-hour concert Aug 15 in New York.
The show, studded with glamour, lights and high-decibel song and dance sequences, is part of the family's Unforgettable Tour that began July 18.
As the Bachchans showcase Indian movie entertainment in all its glory, the men backstage go on an overdrive, almost round-the-clock, to get the act right.
The crew also tend to the make-up, hair and clothes of the actors and dancers.
The sets are designed with Light-emitting Diodes (LED) and computer lighting system. "I have designed the sets and we are using the same sets everywhere. It normally takes three days to set up the entire stage. The team has to reach the venue well in dvance to make all the arrangements for the performance. Stars usually arrive on the day of the performance," said Viraf.
The stage designers have also created graphics for the show.
Actor Riteish Deshmukh and actress Preity Zinta, along with composer duo Vishal-Shekhar and ace choreographer Shiamak Davar are also part of the Bachchan entourage.
The regimen for Big B, the highlight of the concert, is power-packed. "He is absolutely fit and goes to the gym every day. As far as food is concerned, we are coordinating with restaurants and hotels and getting good food. Anyway, all the stars are very particular about their diet. So that is not a problem," Viraf said.
So far, the Bachchans have travelled to Canada, Trinidad & Tobago and the US, Viraf said, adding that a key factor while deciding on the venue was the Indian diaspora.
"We have a discussion with the local promoters and decide to host shows in the area where there is a huge Asian population," he said.
Publicity and sale of tickets is taken care of by local event management firms. "The shows were complete sell-outs."
The man behind the show, however, refused to divulge the cost of each show.
The tour has busted the myth that only young blood sells in Bollywood. "The moment Amitabh appears on stage, there is an overwhelming response from fans who go berserk," Viraf said.
The fact that Amitabh Bachchan is grey and over 60 does not take away from his screen appeal. The icon remains evergreen.

By Aroonim Bhuyan
Dubai, (IANS) — Bringing the Ganges river and the issues surrounding it today onstage is the next big dream of veteran Bollywood actor and internationally acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer Hema Malini.
"The next ballet I want to do is on our great river Ganges," Hema Malini told IANS in an interview here.
"I have already made the script. I want to bring the Ganges on to the stage," she said.
Hema Malini was here, along with her daughters Esha and Ahana Deol, at the invitation of the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC), Dubai, for a classical dance recital to mark India's 61st Independence Day.
She explained that her new ballet on the Ganges would carry an environmental message.
"It is a beautiful concept, you know. It starts with the mythological beginning (of the Ganges). But it goes into today's time and issues associated with the river. An environmental message will be given," she said.
Talking about her other works, Hema Malini was very enthusiastic about another ballet she has developed, called "Draupadi".
"I have 12 actors playing the roles of the Kauravas and Pandavas. I play the role of Draupadi. Our great epic 'Mahabharata' is then told from Draupadi's point of view," she said.
The classical dancer also has big plans for a dance institute, Natyavihar Kalakendra, which she was planning to set up but lamented the fact that she was yet to get land for it.
When pointed out that there were reports in the media that authorities in Maharashtra have approved a plot of land measuring 2,000 sq mts at Jogeshwari in Mumbai for her institute, she was pleasantly surprised.
"Really? I didn't know that. That's real good news you have given me," she smiled.
So, what does she have in her mind for Natyavihar Kalakendra?
"I want to establish a beautiful institute where I will have a beautiful, lovely theatre. Young students can come, learn, perform and know these arts very well," Hema Malini said.
She stressed that the institute will concentrate more on developing the ballet form.
"There are so many institutes where they teach Bharatanatyam, Odissi. All the classical dance institutes are there. But in mine I will concentrate more on the ballet form," she said.
She said that she wanted youngsters to learn the ballet form, which involved combination of the various Indian classical dance forms.
"Ballet needs all forms of dance. You cannot show different emotions through one particular style... You won't be able to express. In ballet what happens is that we combine all of them," she explained.
"From the script writing, then creating the whole story, bringing it on to the stage with beautiful lightings, settings and costumes - these are the kind of things I want to teach," she added.
She said that if her planned institute became a reality then she would open its doors to everybody.
"Any number of students who want to join are welcome," she said.
The Bollywood veteran added that the institute would not be confined to dance training alone.
"I want even the technicians to learn in the institute. One has to learn lighting techniques and other stagecraft. The total art form you will learn there," she said.
"Let's keep our fingers crossed. If I really get that piece of land you mentioned, I will let you know," Hema Malini said.

By Kul Bhushan
Will some NRIs head back to India after watching the latest box office hit, "Singh is Kinng?"
After watching the conscience- pricking scenes during which the hero Akshay Kumar urges his friend to return from Australia to care for his old and ailing parents back home in Punjab, many NRIs will have to answer their consciences as to why they should not return.
Yet, this is a happy film as Happy Singh is the hero's nickname. The opening sequences in the Punjabi village are hilarious and every punch line in the dialogue evokes laughter, if not giggles. For Punjabis, the punch lines push the envelope further for Bollywood. Everyone in the film seems to have unlimited energy, the stunning locales in Egypt and Australia, the dances with their outlandish costumes and knee-tapping music make for rip roaring entertainment. Producer Vipul Shah drives home the message of "Namaste London" yet again that it's high time the NRIs return home.
But the film founders in the second half when its long-drawn climax becomes bizarre and the real message of the emotional re-union with parents and the loved ones in the village is merely flashed with the titles as the audience goes home. This homecoming needs to be played out fully for NRIs when they introduce their foreign girlfriends, face the realities of living in India and help to develop their village to prosperity. If included, this would be a great promotion for the emerging opportunities in India for young NRI professionals and middle-aged investors.
With tongue in cheek, most of the NRIs are shown as gangsters in Melbourne. True, they could be some there, but the film has a lot of NRI gangs for just one city blasting away in high risers and malls. That makes Melbourne a very dangerous city! Of course, a large number of Punjabi youngsters have gone Down Under ostensibly to study but end up working illegally, especially driving taxis. All this came to a boil recently when one was killed, followed by high-pitched demonstrations. Now the Australian government has allowed Indian students to work part-time legally. The grant of a student visa (with reduced fees) since last April automatically permits them to work for 20 hours a day. So there are fewer chances for them to turn to crime for survival.
Back to the film, which made history as a refrain by the Indian news media July 22. Just after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government won the trust vote on the India-US nuclear agreement, the theme song of the film took over all TV channels like a refrain. Within minutes after Manmohan Singh scored a thumping victory, many Punjabis sent SMSs to their NRI relatives: "Congratulations India... Singh is King!" The next morning, one of the newspapers had a new twist on this refrain with its headline "Sting is King"!
In the past few days, "Singh is Kinng" has become the theme of some parties. The invited couples, Sikhs and non-Sikhs, are supposed to turn up in traditional Punjabi gear for Punjabi food and any male invitee who does not wear his turban is helped to wear one by the hosts. This "Bhangra" party crowns the best dancer with the title - you guessed it! - Singh is Kinng.
An e-mail with the heading "Singh is King" has also begun circulating. Giving a brief CV of Manmohan Singh, it ends by claiming he is the most educated head of government in the world. A TV channel also ran a contest "Main Bhi Kinng" to honour outstanding acts of bravery and courage. Akshay Kumar crowned the winners.
Then came the news that some Sikh organisations were not happy about how the film portrayed the community. But its hero and its Gujarati producer Vipul Shah apologized and explained its honourable intentions to a Delhi Sikh religious body, pleading against any ban. They said it highlights the greatness of the community and Akshay promised to act in another film sporting the full beard to satisfy community leaders. However, a radical group of young Sikhs pelted with stones an Amritsar theatre running its opening show, alleging that the film depicts the community in a distorted manner. Yet the midnight paid premieres in New Delhi attracted no protests as the audiences enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
How did the film get its captivating title? Akshay Kumar solved the mystery during an interview. After a film shoot in Jaipur, he was driving behind a truck that carried the slogan "Singh is King". Right at that moment, he telephoned the producer saying that he had a name for his next film. The story and everything else came much later to become a fun ride for the family. That's how a box office scored the bull's eye.
(Kul Bhushan has worked abroad as a newspaper editor and has travelled to over 55 countries. He lives in New Delhi and can be contacted at: kulbhushan2040@gmail.com)