Naya Zamana dancers thrill packed NCC Audience

– will be held over in January 2013

“Bollywood Dream”, a theatrical production hosted by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha at the National Cultural Centre on Saturday evening left a packed audience mesmerised by the excellent and breathtaking décor used to portray the dream of a young woman who wanted to become a Bollywood actress.

The 17th edition of Naya Zamana has received overwhelming support from the Guyanese public, thus a decision was taken by the Sabha to have a re-run in January 2013.
This was based on the fact that all tickets were sold out two days prior to the event. Before a capacity audience, including President Donald Ramotar, former President Bharrat Jagdeo and Cabinet members, a cast of 65 dancers put on a superlative performance, one the audience will fondly remember for a long time.
The lighting and the magnificent set created spectacular scenes to facilitate the excellently choreographed dance routines. Replicas of castles, movie theatres, audition halls and Bollywood award arenas, all had the audience feeling as if they were looking at a Bollywood film.
It was a production filled with romantic ballads combined with superb drama, intense, vibrant and magical dances, over the top sets, bling and multi-hued costumes, all combined to realise the most dynamic production ever. The selection of music for every act assisted in telling the story. The production centred on Indhira Harry, who played Sonia in the theatrical spectacular.
She set out on a journey to making her dreams a reality. Sonia had to cross many hurdles, including audition upon audition, but finally got a lead role in a Bollywood movie when her childhood friend Zahrah Alli (Jiya) convinced the director, Jewan Persaud that she had tremendous talent. It all started with Jiya and Sonia at a movie when Sonia emphatically decided that she wanted to become a superstar, and more so Yash Kapoor’s (Amit Shaw) heroine.
Leaving her country, Sonia sets out on a journey to Bollywood, leaving her best friends Jiya and Viren behind. After a while in Bollywood, Sonia telephoned her friends expressing her loneliness and invited Jiya to join her in Bollywood.
After some persuasion and convincing, Jiya’s mother finally agreed to send her to meet her friend. Sonia was overjoyed and confident that with her childhood friend as support, she will get the lead role, but it was not all glitz and glamour on the film sets in Bollywood. It was hard work and lots of rehearsals and video shooting. Upon Jiya’s arrival, she visited the film set with Sonia every day and was mesmerised by the handsome actor, Yash Kapoor, but not without escaping the sharp tongue and eyes of another actress.
As the play continues, there was a twist which affected both Jiya and Sonia. While dancing one day at the film set, Jiya impressed the director who was looking at her every move. He in turn invited her to the film set the following morning where she got the lead role in the film. Sonia on the other hand felt betrayed by her childhood friend. Viren (Sonia’s boyfriend) decided to visit her, but was upset at the change she underwent since she came to Bollywood, including partying with new friends, but he managed to influence her in getting back to her own self.
After realising that she was mean to Jiya, she apologised, and their bond grew stronger. At the end, of the theatrical production, Sonia was eventually offered a lead role in another film starring her heartthrob, Yash Kapoor. The entire play was written, directed and choreographed by Dr Vindhya Persaud while the stage sets and costumes were done by Trishala Persaud. Dr Vindhya in her opening remarks encouraged the patrons to forget all the stress and chores and enjoy the presentation as it will make them fall in love all over again. It was indeed a memorable night of fun, great entertainment, oodles of energy and a recipe for a replay.