Bollywood Beats

At Rs three lakh,BollywoodBandwagon.com is the most ambitious project of Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust,found by Roy in 1997. “The idea existed for the last three years,but it materialised now after the Linz festival came forward to sponsor it,” says the director. Going by her account,the festival organisers have already fallen in love with the show,thanks to Bollywood’s growing popularity in Europe. “Airan Berg,head of the festival,told me the play reminds him of opera which the audience often does not understand but watches it for the drama and colour,” Roy recounts.

The character of Maya is based on a Hollywood actress,who became a showgirl in Las Vegas after her husband frittered away her earnings. “However,she can be any actress trying to make a comeback. Jehangir Khan is a blend of all the famous Khans of Bollywood with their quirks and mannerisms. Raj Razdan too can be identified with many aging stars,” says Roy about the dark comedy which comprises a string of Bollywood stereotypes. The storyline has all the trappings of a potboiler-love-triangle,sacrifice and oodles of drama.

In true Bollywood tradition,Roy hopes that the music will do the trick for the production. The 75-minute-long show has five foot-tapping songs as well as a snazzy background score. “The songs reflect Hindi film music through different eras,” says Shyam Banerjee,who has designed the music and penned the lyrics. The songs were recorded in Mumbai while the background score was done in Delhi,he adds.