WALTHAM, MA—Bollywood dance teacher Shikha Bajpai of Dancing Divas of Boston and Siraj Khan, a music lover and producer of local musical shows, have teamed together to produce something that Boston has never seen before: Mona Daarrling (Darling spelled this way to emphasize the word darling).
“The date of March 19th is important, because the evening of that day unveils Mona Daarrling!!, where the Dancing Divas Boston and other local stars, will passionately present a very powerful and high-energy concert to warm you up and chime the good-bye to the chilly winter, with something the South Asian community has not seen before in Boston,” says Khan, who is the director and script writer of the dance program.
Over the last few years, Bajpai and her bevy of the Dancing Divas Boston have continued to collaborate with many local artists and have enriched the local scene with their super charged performances at various socio-cultural and charity events in Boston’s cultural space, says Khan.
“They have come to be known as daring and riveting on stage, receiving many awards at competitions for their spectacular style of performances,” Khan says. “This would, however, be the first time to experience their unbridled energy and innovative choreography, combining with the very best of the Boston’s local talent in performing arts to support them, all in one big glittering concert.”
The event will a tribute to the dazzling cabaret queens of Indian cinema who have undoubtedly made a significant contribution to the entertainment culture, sometimes referred to as bolly good, Khan says.
“Their sultry songs and seductive moves, combining the character of the vamp and the cabaret dancer into one figure, has become an integral part of the Indian cinema over the last 60+ years. Yet, not much is written about them and even less discussed. Interestingly, their songs have often carried a strong message on various complexities of life,” Khan said. “Times have changed and today, no wedding in a film script is considered complete without an ‘item song’. So from Helen, Aruna Irani, Bindu to Parveen Babi, Rekha and Mumtaz, further extended by the newer ‘item girls’, this concert will showcase their work, in a highly glittering evening of enthralling live entertainment, confident of projecting the grace and elegance of these undoubted queens of the Bollywood cabaret.”
Dancing Divas Boston is a dynamic group of young women, who juggle busy professional and family lives while always keeping their passion alive. Along with Khan, the Director of Mona Daarrling, they have been working for the past several months on every detail of the production of this show. In addition to the main choreographic aspects, they have been involved in the planning and designing the costumes, stage setting, songs, music, script and, of course, many engaging rehearsals.
“And in case you are wondering what that extra “a” and “r” mean in Daarrling – it’s the extra affection and passion behind the presentation,” says Khan.
Key information about Mona Daarrling:
Date: Saturday March 19, 2016
Time: Doors open 5:30 pm. Showtime : 6-9 pm.
Venue: Groton-Dunstable Performing Arts Center, 344 Main Street, Groton, MA
Producers : Dancing Divas of Boston
Presented by: Dancing Divas of Boston and The Fourth World
Script and Direction: Siraj Khan
Host : Gauri Chandna
Title role: Seema Arora
Audio : Jawed Wahid
Soundtrack: Meena Sundaram
Stage décor : Shobha Shastry / Alankar Event Planners & Decorators
Stage makeup: Laila Shah
Food partners : Bollywood Grill
For more information:
Shikha Bajpai: shikhabajpai@yahoo.com 978-944-9102
Siraj Khan : Khansaheb2@aol.com 978-621-8030
Tickets prices are: General: $25; Premium: $40; VIP: $75 (limited seats, by advance reservation only)
