• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • REVIEWS
    • TRAILERS
  • BUSINESS
  • CELEBRITIES
  • HOLLYWOOD
  • REGIONAL
  • TV
  • MUSIC
  • TOP LISTS

Bollywood Presents

Exotic locations where popular Bollywood movies were shot

You are here: Home / Film Tourism Locations / Taj Express – Bollywood Musical in Bethlehem

Taj Express – Bollywood Musical in Bethlehem

February 9, 2017 by BollywoodPresents Team

taj express bollywood musical

Let’s face it — Bollywood extravaganzas have become as popular as Hollywood musicals once were, and names like Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan are only getting popular.

“Bollywood incorporates everything! It has salsa in it, it has basic classical Indian, it’s got techno, pop and hip-hop. Anything you want, it’s probably in there,” young American girl.

Then there are the fantasy and romance of Bollywood movies, with scads of colorful costumes, dizzying soundtracks and a subdued sensuality that makes you feel you witnessed an explicit sex scene, even when the lovers might never actually even kiss.

But how are these movies made? Who writes the songs for the hero and heroine, stages the choreography for the huge dance scenes and writes the plot with its inevitable happy ending?

“Taj Express,” a Bollywood musical spectacular that comes to the Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem, is a wonderfully starry-eyed, family-friendly glimpse into the behind-the-scenes making of a Bollywood film.

But in true Bollywood fashion, the plot, no matter how loosely based, is not really the point. It’s the delicious hybrid mixing of classical Indian dance forms with Western cultural clues, the over-the-top choreography, the mesmerizing rhythms, spectacular lighting and elaborate costumes that really count.

About the Musical

Direct from Mumbai, ground zero for the Hindi film industry, the cast of “Taj Express” includes nearly 30 actors, dancers and musicians, who will swirl through more than 2,000 sparkling costumes and 1,500 pieces of jewelry in the nearly two-hour show.

This is the real deal, produced, directed and choreographed by Vaibhavi and Shruti Merchant, who have been in the Bollywood film industry for decades.

Also Read: Taj Mahal, Agra: Most Famous Historical Monument of India

“Music plays an integral role in the show, since the story is about a struggling composer who is composing the music for a new Bollywood movie. In his journey to find the music for the film, the characters come to life and the audience sees the story unfold through Shankar’s imagination.”

The show takes the audience into the creative world of Shankar, a struggling musical genius who must write all the songs for the hero and the heroine, the big dance numbers, the fight scenes, the folk rituals and the inevitable happy ending.

Watch: Taj Express- The Bollywood Musical promo

Taj Express took more than a year and half to produce. The costumes are created, designed and hand-embroidered just for the production, and shipped from India. The show features a high-energy electronic soundtrack along with musicians performing on classical and modern Indian instruments.

Since the inception of MTV in the 1980s, Bollywood dancing has been heavily influenced by Western dance styles, and incorporates elements from Broadway, hip-hop, disco and more. “Taj Express” not only showcases the top chart-busters of Bollywood, but also incorporates folk and traditional Indian music, along with Western style.

Also Read: Learn How to Bollywood Dance…for Dummies.

You can bet the dancing will be spectacular. Vaibhavi Merchant is the granddaughter of Shri B. Hiralal, a major force in the history of Indian choreography, especially the Jaipur style of northern India. Early Bollywood films made much use of Bharatanatyam, an ancient dance form from South India, known for its grace, purity, tenderness and sculpturesque poses. “Taj Express” expands on that, showcasing a colorful variety of dance forms from all across the country.


Watch: Aaja Nachle Song | Madhuri Dixit. Choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant

“Dances include Mohiniattam and Kalaripayattu, a martial arts dance form, both from the state of Kerala in the south, Kuthu dancing from Tamil Nadu, and Garba from the state of Gujarat, on India’s west coast,” Dhawan says. “We also have Bollywood numbers and Western dance forms like hip-hop, urban, street, Latin American salsa and contemporary dancing.”

The dialogue in the show is in English, while the songs are mostly in Hindi, Gujarati and Punjabi. Even these are influenced by Western culture, with sound dynamics that are fascinating to everyone. “Music is a universal language. From India our music will touch everyone’s soul irrespective of language barriers,” Dhawan says.

Taj Express gives the audience the experience of not just watching, but participating in a Bollywood production. Once the audiences leave the theater they will feel like they have been on a cultural and musical journey across India. They might want to go and buy a ticket to visit India straightaway.

Source: mcall.com

Related Posts:

  • Representation of women in Bollywood Films
  • Social Impact of Bollywood on Indian culture
  • Top Forthcoming Bollywood Movies (& Trailers): Upcoming…
  • Bollywood in Poland, Country with Medieval Hot Spots &…

Filed Under: Film Tourism Locations

RELATED POSTS

Rajkumar Rao

Newton Movie Review: An intelligent, political satire

NEWTON is an intelligent, political satire with powerful performances. But it’s a niche film, so those looking for total entertainment may not like it. However, if you’re looking for intelligent cinema, head to your nearest theatre. Rajkummar Rao’s Newton released along side Shraddha Kapoor’s Haseena Parkar and Sanjay Dutt’s Bhoomi, but its Newton that is […]

Rice Replaces Ice in New Bucket Challenge: Apt for a Country Like India

Now this is one instance where Indians are not blindly trying to ape the west, although for some time, some of our Bollywood celebrities did try to do the same here. It was only when a journalist realized that this innovative & fun idea to raise awareness about a pressing issue had to be tweaked […]

academy awards oscars

Films nominated at Oscars prompt people to plan their next trip

Films nominated at the Oscars can influence your travel plans, says online travel site lastminute.com. Brands and tourism companies are advised to keep an eye on the big screen, to cash in on ‘movie tourism’ – travel inspired by films – as films nominated at the Oscars could prompt people to plan their next trip. […]

How to Watch Movies & TV Online for FREE

Here’s how to Watch Movies (Bollywood as well as Hollywood) & TV Shows Online for FREE. Read about the Advantages & Disadvantages of the various medium, and the various options that are available to you to watch your favorite movies, channels and TV shows online. We all love watching movies and have various means to […]

Deepika’s ‘My choice’ Video Goes Viral: Does Male Bashing Equate to True Feminism?

Deepika’s new video on empowering women shows 99 women, from varying walks of life, come together and give out one powerful message. And although the video has been quite popular on various social media sites, one thing that bothers many is why such videos have this undertone of ‘male-bashing’. In case you haven’t seen the […]

arijit singh

Arjit Singh loses cool, lambasts music composer on social media

Arijit Singh is currently the most successful singer in Bollywood belting out hits after hits (he has risen to the top after appearing in a singing based reality tv show). He’s also the highest paid singer when it comes to singing at ‘events’. Considering his cool demeanor, it really came as a surprise when Arjit […]

Budding Creators in India to Get FREE Studio Space, Thanks to Google’s YOUTUBE SPACE & Whistling Woods International

Here’s some good news for budding creators, located in India, who always had tons of unique ideas in their heads when it came to creating videos, but didn’t have the funds to hire studios or audio/video equipment. YOUTUBE SPACE, in partnership with Whistling Woods International (WWI) now has the perfect solution for those budding video […]

Bollywood Movies Filmed in Cyprus

Cyprus is an internationally renowned shipping centre and gets over 2 million tourist arrivals per year. Home to some of the most popular and cleanest beaches in Europe, its in the top 50 most popular destinations in the world. Because its geographically located so close to Turkey, filmmakers usually take advantage of both the locations […]

bollywood video games

Releasing movie-based video game after film launch a new trend in movie business

Releasing a video game (based on the movie’s theme) immediately after a film’s launch could be the new strategy employed by the various production houses. Recently, the official game of Force 2 (starring John Abraham, Sonakshi Sinha) was launched, based on the film’s leading characters who foil an assassination in Budapest. The movie did decent […]

Daddy Movie

Daddy movie review: Arjun Rampal nails the looks, his best performance till date

Actor Arjun Rampal’s film ‘Daddy’ (nickname for Arun Gawli) traces the journey of Arun Gawli, one of the most feared gangsters in Mumbai at one time, who would eventually become a politician. The movie gives you a feel of Mumbai’s underworld circuit, and traces Daddy’s journey over four decades. Cast: Arjun Rampal, Aishwarya Rajesh, Rajesh […]

Primary Sidebar

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

RECENT POSTS

Tamannaah Bhatia

Tamannaah Bhatia: Lifestyle, Business and Net Worth

Tamannaah Bhatia is a well-known Indian actress who has made a name for herself in the film … [Read More...] about Tamannaah Bhatia: Lifestyle, Business and Net Worth

Saudi Arabia Tourism

Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Dunki’ is Bollywood’s first movie to be shot in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is keen to reduce its dependency on oil and has been promoting tourism, including film … [Read More...] about Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Dunki’ is Bollywood’s first movie to be shot in Saudi Arabia

film making

Is film school worth it?

Do film schools provide value to students and are they really worth the exorbitant amount of money … [Read More...] about Is film school worth it?

Shah Rukh Khan on business

Filming Destinations of SRK’s ‘Pathaan’ Spans Europe to the Middle East

Shah Rukh Khan's film Pathaan was filmed at several filming locations in Europe, Russia, Dubai, and … [Read More...] about Filming Destinations of SRK’s ‘Pathaan’ Spans Europe to the Middle East

big bollywood wedding

Wedding Videography & Photography: Latest Trends

In Wedding Videography & Photography, what was acceptable few years back is considered outdated or … [Read More...] about Wedding Videography & Photography: Latest Trends

music cities

Top music schools / colleges in the world

Top music schools / colleges in the world to learn music performance under expert musicians, to … [Read More...] about Top music schools / colleges in the world

Bollywood in Poland, Country with Medieval Hot Spots & Energetic Cities

Poland is located in the heart of Europe and is well known for its history, which is reflected in … [Read More...] about Bollywood in Poland, Country with Medieval Hot Spots & Energetic Cities

movie trailers

Top Forthcoming Bollywood Movies (& Trailers): Upcoming Entertainers for 2021

Want to know when the next entertainer of your favorite star is going to be released? Want to plan … [Read More...] about Top Forthcoming Bollywood Movies (& Trailers): Upcoming Entertainers for 2021

National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC)

Social Impact of Bollywood on Indian culture

Movies are one of the most influential tools of communication and society does learn a few things or … [Read More...] about Social Impact of Bollywood on Indian culture

bollywood rapes

Representation of women in Bollywood Films

Women in Bollywood films have been subject to stereotypes and objectification, and appeared in … [Read More...] about Representation of women in Bollywood Films

Amazon Fashion

Useful Read

  • Who coined the term ‘Bollywood’?
  • Dadasaheb Phalke (Father of Indian Cinema)
  • Evolution of Hindi Films
  • Social Impact of Bollywood on Indian culture

Footer

Upcoming Bollywood Movies

  • Love Aaj Kal Movie
  • Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele Movie
  • Hawayein Movie
  • Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan Movie
  • The Hundred Bucks Movie
  • BHOOT: Part One – The Haunted Ship Movie
  • Haunted Hills Movie
  • 'O' Pushpa I Hate Tears Movie
  • Guns Of Banaras Movie
  • Thappad Movie

Bollywood Movie Reviews

  • Malang Review
  • Jawaani Jaaneman Review
  • Panga Review
  • Street Dancer 3D Review
  • Tanhaji – The Unsung Warrior Review
  • Chhapaak Review
  • Good Newwz Review

Top Celebs

  • Ajay Devgn
  • Kajol
  • Saif Ali Khan
  • Shraddha Kapoor
  • Varun Dhawan
  • Deepika Padukone
  • Kangana Ranaut
  • Tabu
  • Aditya Roy Kapur
  • Disha Patani
  • Rajinikanth

About Us

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Write for Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Sitemap
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in