When I saw 13 year old Sunny Patel dancing on stage at the Blend it like Bollywood show organised by Diva Dance Academy last wek, I almost thought I was looking at a teen version of Bollywood actor Govinda.
Despite his ill-fitting costume which he tried to hitch up every three seconds on stage, Sunny managed to perform some excellent dance moves that would have had established professionals convulsing in envy. During the interval, he came over and grinned at me through his braces.
“Recently, Channel Four made a documentary called ‘The secret lives of kids’ and decided to follow my dance partner and myself to the Bollywood sets in Mumbai,” he whispered in my ear, with a ‘filmi’ jerk to his shoulder and a stylish throw of his neck.
Apparently, many British Indians as young as ten and twelve run away to Bollywood and try their luck at stardom, and Channel Four had decided to make a documentary out of it. I certainly hoped they wouldn’t turn the documentary into a tamasha like their previous coverage of the Kumbha Mela. Many of you may remember that all they showed on TV was a bunch of Naga babas jumping up and down. If Channel Four had really been conscientious, they could just as easily have shown the incredible amount of charity, the emergency medical aid, and the tonnes of free food distributed at the Mela.
I was brought out of my reverie by the eager voice of young Sunny.
“Something inside me blossoms as soon as I am dancing on stage,” he said. “The music, the beat and the rhythm catch my very being and I just feel transported.”
Sunny does not feel the same attraction for Western music. “The sound is just not the same,” he confided. “Bollywood music is different. It gets my feet moving.”
Sunny and his dance partner, eight year Krupa, met stars like Aftab Shivdasani, Akshaye Khanna and John Abraham during their Mumbai trip. Sunny performed a few dances and spoke a few dialogues in front of Director Lawrence D’Souza. He and Krupa also addressed a press conference, which was followed by stories carried in many Indian newspapers.
“And what exactly do you want to do in Bollywood?” I asked him, looking at Sunny’s double chin, his belly and his chubby features.
“I want to be a hero,” he said without batting an eyelid. “My inspiration is Amitabh Bacchan, and I hope I can be like him one day.”
I tried hard not to look surprised. Sunny’s dancing was awesome, but I had seen his acting and thought it was quite mediocre. And if he really wanted to make it big in Bollywood, he may be better off if he tried reducing his double chin and pot-belly.
“I am willing to work very hard,” he concluded, as if reading my mind.
I suddenly remembered that he was just a kid. Surely, hard work, devoted gym sessions and a bit of luck can transform anyone into a Bollywood actor. But then, there can only be one Big-B, right?
Thames on fire
I almost thought the Thames Festival sponsored by Mayor Ken Livingstone on 13th and 14th September was going to be a damp squib.
Anticipating hundreds of stalls full of food, trinkets, games and rides, I was taken aback to find a grand total of just five stalls stacked with I-don’t-know-what animals cooked in I-can-puke-at-the-smell sauces. As I ran away from the disgusting smell, I saw a poster that announced a fire-work display at 8 PM.
My friends and I decided to wait – and were delighted we did. The mixture of theatrics and fireworks were so stunning, that it had the 100,000-strong audience at the Jubilee gardens roaring in frenzy and clapping in appreciation every few minutes.
“This is even better than the fireworks at Trafalgar Square for New Years Eve,” commented my friend Bhavesh. “And it’s all free too”
Although I did not see it, I heard that the procession of lanterns that had been organised the next day, turned out to be one of the most charming street parties of London.
Hats off to the Mayor for being so kind to the citizens of London.