Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra put forward a proposal that few men could resist.
Woo her hand in marriage, Bollywood style.
Make it grand and make it dramatic, said the Desi Girl on Wednesday at the Magic of Bollywood night, an invitation-only song-and-dance show held at the Emirates Palace as a part of Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
A flurry of hands shot up from potential suitors, but the girl-of-the-moment Chopra chose a blond candidate, Nathan. His hair may have matched his golden kurta (Indian tunic), but he couldn’t dance to save his life. But his killer move came when he said: “You have amazing eyes and a body to die for. And I will love you ... and your mother.”
“Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner. The best way to win an Indian girl’s heart is to compliment her mother,” said Chopra, hugging her eager suitor as cheers erupted all around her.
The night wasn’t limited to a crash course on popping the question to Indian girls, but celebrated all things Bollywood. In a fantastical 90-minute show, the audience was charmed and seduced by dancers who were unapologetically colourful and kitsch.
“Tonight, what we are doing is bringing cultures together and bringing cinema together... So technically this is like my Eid or my Diwali because I get to meet people who love and celebrate cinema. I am so happy to be here,” Chopra said.
The 31-year-old star, who is currently working on Madhur Bhandarkar’s Madamji and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s drama Bajirao Mastani, claims she didn’t have much time to rehearse, but it didn’t show. She began her act by dancing to Ram Chaahe Leela from Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela. She had poured herself into a lace halter-neck with a plunging back top and flared trousers and moved with an agility of a cat. It was a gymnast-meets-Bollywood sequence.
“It’s a tough act that I am doing. The last time I did something similar, I busted my knee. But I wanted to keep it special for Abu Dhabi,” Chopra told us on the red carpet. But it was her Desi Girl finale that had everyone on their feet. Making an entry through the audience, she shimmied her way onto the stage and into their hearts.
“Everything about Bollywood gets me. It’s pure energy, celebration and excitement. It’s not just about cinema, it’s an experience.”
The actress, who has her eyes set on acquiring international pop stardom, couldn’t have summed up the concept of the show better. All forces were at work to make the Bollywood encounter for Abu Dhabi a memorable one. If choreographer and show director Ganesh Hegde showed his fluid, flamboyant moves, Swedish model and Bollywood acting hopeful Elli Avram was a testament to embracing Indian culture. She attempted Indian classical dance moves with songs such as In Aankhon Ki Masti. In a glittering green bustier and a long skirt with multiple slits and panels, she looked right at home. She also added an Arabic flavour to the evening with some belly dancing to the song Mashallah from Salman Khan-starrer Ek Tha Tiger.
Singer Anuska Manchanda gave a robust rendition of Dum Maaro Dum. Loaded with attitude and a good amount of flamboyance, her voice ripped the roof off. As Chopra puts it: “The one thing we are known for is colour, excitement and fabulousness.” This group made sure that we didn’t forget it for a second in this spectacle.
