The Royal Thumka
Choreographed Bollywood medleys is the icing on this multi-layered cake of lavishness, latest addition to the fanfare.
NEW DEHLI:
From handmade plates and tea towels, to the Royal mint producing an official five pound coin and the Canada post issuing a stamp — all to commemorate the Royal wedding. The icing on this multi-layered cake of lavishness is the latest addition to the fanfare — a choreographed Bollywood medley.
All of India and much of Pakistan is agog to the beat of ‘munni badnaam hui’ and ‘shiela ki jawani’. Now these beats will resound at The Buckingham Palace at the wedding of the decade.
Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar and his dancer wife Jesse Radhawa will perform at the London wedding reception of UK’s Prince William and his fiance Kate Middleton.
The royal reception will be attended by 600 of the world’s most important leaders and celebrities, according to reports. “They received an enquiry about performing at the reception of Will and Kate and after discussing the price, it was confirmed that Sandeep and Jesse will perform. The organisers wanted a combination of Bollywood and English Waltz,” said a source.
The choreographer has already made a selection of 10 Bollywood songs and the organisers will choose four. And yes, Munni badnaam hui could be one of them!
“Bollywood is a big thing in the UK thanks to the South Asian diaspora and the performance will be the last dance. They wanted it to be a fun way to end the evening,” added the source. Soparrkar and Randhawa had earlier performed at popstar Katy Perry’s Indian nuptials with British comedian Russell Brand and at ‘the Queen of Pop’ Madonna’s fiftieth birthday party.
The royal wedding which is to be held at Westminister Abbey, will surely be a grand affair with a budget of 12 million pounds. About 200 political figures and 100 foreign royals and dignitaries have been invited.
But, Soparrkar will perform during the most exclusive part of the day, a dinner dance hosted by Prince Charles, which, according to reports, will be held at the Buckhingham Palace.
The dancer had met the Prince of Wales when he visited the sets of Mangal Pandey in 2005 and had received a letter of recognition from the British royal for his work in promoting ballroom dancing in India.
Indian press goes crazy on mega-bucks wedding
The groom received a helicopter as a gift, there were 18,000 guests — or perhaps it was 30,000 — and it took 1,000 workers, 40 days to prepare the venue.
The exact details have been fiercely disputed but newspapers in New Delhi were all in agreement that this had been one very big, very fat Indian wedding.
Lalit Tanwar married Yogita Jaunapuria at a family farmhouse near the city in a ceremony on March 1 celebrated with 100 dishes, 12 giant TV screens to broadcast proceedings and even a gift of $5,500 for the groom’s barber.
The Times of India calculated the cost of the extravaganza uniting two influential political families at $22 million, while Mail Todaywent for the less conservative figure of $5.5 million.
“I don’t understand why there is so much hoopla about this marriage,” the groom’s father, Kanwar Singh Tanwar, told The Times. “All estimates of this marriage in the media are speculations.”
In The Indian Express, he was quoted as saying: “True, a Bell 429 helicopter was given but it was a simple wedding.”
Kanwar is a hugely wealthy city politician from the ruling Congress party, while the bride’s father is a former politician of the capital.
The Hindustan Times reported that at a pre-wedding ceremony last week 2,000 guests were each given a silver biscuit, a safari suit and $500 in cash.
The newly-weds, both 26, were heralded on March 1 with flowers and lights bedecking three kilometres of roads leading to the function.
Celebrations are set to continue with another reception and a final gathering on March 6 at a five-star hotel to be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bollywood stars.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2011.
From handmade plates and tea towels, to the Royal mint producing an official five pound coin and the Canada post issuing a stamp — all to commemorate the Royal wedding. The icing on this multi-layered cake of lavishness is the latest addition to the fanfare — a choreographed Bollywood medley.
All of India and much of Pakistan is agog to the beat of ‘munni badnaam hui’ and ‘shiela ki jawani’. Now these beats will resound at The Buckingham Palace at the wedding of the decade.
Indian choreographer Sandip Soparrkar and his dancer wife Jesse Radhawa will perform at the London wedding reception of UK’s Prince William and his fiance Kate Middleton.
The royal reception will be attended by 600 of the world’s most important leaders and celebrities, according to reports. “They received an enquiry about performing at the reception of Will and Kate and after discussing the price, it was confirmed that Sandeep and Jesse will perform. The organisers wanted a combination of Bollywood and English Waltz,” said a source.
The choreographer has already made a selection of 10 Bollywood songs and the organisers will choose four. And yes, Munni badnaam hui could be one of them!
“Bollywood is a big thing in the UK thanks to the South Asian diaspora and the performance will be the last dance. They wanted it to be a fun way to end the evening,” added the source. Soparrkar and Randhawa had earlier performed at popstar Katy Perry’s Indian nuptials with British comedian Russell Brand and at ‘the Queen of Pop’ Madonna’s fiftieth birthday party.
The royal wedding which is to be held at Westminister Abbey, will surely be a grand affair with a budget of 12 million pounds. About 200 political figures and 100 foreign royals and dignitaries have been invited.
But, Soparrkar will perform during the most exclusive part of the day, a dinner dance hosted by Prince Charles, which, according to reports, will be held at the Buckhingham Palace.
The dancer had met the Prince of Wales when he visited the sets of Mangal Pandey in 2005 and had received a letter of recognition from the British royal for his work in promoting ballroom dancing in India.
Indian press goes crazy on mega-bucks wedding
The groom received a helicopter as a gift, there were 18,000 guests — or perhaps it was 30,000 — and it took 1,000 workers, 40 days to prepare the venue.
The exact details have been fiercely disputed but newspapers in New Delhi were all in agreement that this had been one very big, very fat Indian wedding.
Lalit Tanwar married Yogita Jaunapuria at a family farmhouse near the city in a ceremony on March 1 celebrated with 100 dishes, 12 giant TV screens to broadcast proceedings and even a gift of $5,500 for the groom’s barber.
The Times of India calculated the cost of the extravaganza uniting two influential political families at $22 million, while Mail Todaywent for the less conservative figure of $5.5 million.
“I don’t understand why there is so much hoopla about this marriage,” the groom’s father, Kanwar Singh Tanwar, told The Times. “All estimates of this marriage in the media are speculations.”
In The Indian Express, he was quoted as saying: “True, a Bell 429 helicopter was given but it was a simple wedding.”
Kanwar is a hugely wealthy city politician from the ruling Congress party, while the bride’s father is a former politician of the capital.
The Hindustan Times reported that at a pre-wedding ceremony last week 2,000 guests were each given a silver biscuit, a safari suit and $500 in cash.
The newly-weds, both 26, were heralded on March 1 with flowers and lights bedecking three kilometres of roads leading to the function.
Celebrations are set to continue with another reception and a final gathering on March 6 at a five-star hotel to be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Bollywood stars.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2011.