Projects

nutkhut brings Bollywood to Buckingham Palace

nutkhut performed an excerpt from their Bollywood Steps show for Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace this week (Tuesday 13 October) - the first time Bollywood has been seen at the Palace.

Inspired by Bollywood films, the 40 minute show features exciting dance numbers fusing folk, classical, Bhangra, hip hop, jazz, salsa and contemporary dance with all the glamour of Bollywood plus an array of outrageous props, spectacular pyrotechnics and gigantic water effects.

The 15 minute performance - specially adapted for the magnificent surroundings of the Ballroom, the largest of the Palace’s 775 rooms, and featuring five female and three male dancers in sensational costumes - was said to be the highlight of the reception organised in advance of a State Visit by the President of the Republic of India, Pratibha Patil.

Among the 300 reception guests made up of writers, actors, sport stars and business people were England cricketer Monty Panasar, comedienne Shazia Mirza, broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy, film director Yash Chopra and Tom Singh, founder of the New Look fashion chain.

Nutkhut co-founder and Bollywood Steps choreographer, Simmy Gupta, said: "It was a privilege and an honour to be asked to perform at the Palace. We’re British, we’re Asian and we are contemporary, and we also know our roots. Bollywood Steps is me growing up in England, being a British-Asian. It is influenced by Bollywood films and Hollywood films, from Charlie Chaplin to James Bond, from black and white movies, where the heroines are shy and demure to modern-day films, where women are confident and progressive. It goes from my classically trained background to contemporary hip-hop. It is up-to-date, really sexy and hot.”

Speaking about the opulent surroundings of the royal residence, nutkhut co-founder Ajay Chhabra said: “We felt the dramatic architecture lent itself to a film set: the columns, the fabric of the canapy – the bling of it stood out!”

Queen Victoria commissioned the Ballroom for entertaining; it’s where Mendelssohn once performed organ recitals, and is now used for investitures and banquets. For the Bollywood Steps performance, further historical connections were made as dancers performed beneath the 30 foot velvet canopy, made for the Delhi Durbar held in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of George V and Queen Mary.

External Links:

The Royal Channel
Bollywood Steps rehearse for an Indian Reception at Buckingham Palace.

The Royal Channel
Indian Reception at Buckingham Palace.

Star News
Buckingham Palace to dance to Bollywood tunes.

BBC
Bollywood meets Buckingham Palace.

The Times of London
Queen invites Bollywood dancers to perform at Buckingham Palace.