The rise of Bollywood in America

The rise of “Bollywood” fans in North America is a testament to the attachment back home which South Asian immigrants have.  While the Internet offered more opportunities to follow films and stars, several big events brought Bollywood’s brightest to American audiences.

In the years past, fans often had to visit out of the way theaters to get a glimpse of Bollywood Film such as recently popular “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” or “Bajirao Mastani“.  But now many mainstream theaters across North America have joined in the worldwide release of not only Hindi films but Tamil films as well. While audiences in these theaters may not be the size or scale typically seen for a Hollywood film, audiences are growing and becoming more diverse.

We have also seen the rise of Bollywood productions, Concerts and Star shows growing in popularity,  events such as IIFA Tampa, SLAM Tour and even star visits to US Venues such as Google and Twitter headquarters to promote their projects is evidence that the Bollywood Entertainment market has gone full steam ahead in North America.

Recently we sat down with members of Paracha Entertainment (Atlanta) and Indian Expressions (Charlotte) who are organizers from the upcoming Vishal and Shekhar North American concert tour and got some insights from years past into present day concert experiences.

Being from what may seem smaller markets when compared to cities like New York, Chicago or Dallas, comes with its ups and downs when trying to organize such events.

Concert Convener Sarjoo Bhagia notes, “Our biggest lessons learned are to keep a stream-lined team, assign specific roles and responsibilities, and acquire personalities on your team who love music: because if you do, their passion dictates their work ethic.”

Being able to draw brand-name performers to local cities has been difficult in the past and many people often travel to bigger cities to attend such events. Getting to watch these shows right here is a testament to the growth of our city and especially our South Asian community.  Our audience base has increased many folds and includes music lovers from other ethnicities than just Indian.  – Say Event Organizers

The organizers say that it’s their passion of music and arts which motivates them to bring such events to their cities.  Having organized events such as Shreya Ghoshal, Sunidhi Chuahan concerts and other events in the past, the reactions and support from local communities, businesses and fans keeps them wanting to bring more events for all to enjoy.

When speaking about some experiences with performers from concerts past … “And the most amazing thing about Shreyaji and Sunidhiji is how humble, down-to-Earth, and just plain kind they were,” says Rajiv Saddy, Co-Convener and owner of Indian Expressions.  “They enjoyed the little things–a shopping trip to Costco, talking to the organizing team, sharing meals with us.”  As grand and mind-blowing as they were on-stage, we loved getting to know them for the phenomenal personalities.

Rahim Paracha of Paracha Entertainment who has been bringing quality entertainment for over 20 years to the Atlanta market tells us that although each event may be different in its own way, its the experience on “show day” which keeps him going.  “I truly feel that watching and listening to live entertainment is an experience creates memories that stay with you for a long time” – says Paracha, adding that from a presenter’s prospective it is very satisfying to see the joy that the artist to audience  connection coming together.

The feeling on the day of the concert is bursting with pride and anticipation.  As always, there is tons of last-minute things that come up, a minor hiccup or two even that we have to urgently address; but we have a solid team and we are geared to go.  Emcee and concert Promoter, Delia Patel says, “there is no bigger thrill for me than to see the smiles of the hundreds of people in the auditorium cheering their favorite singer to the stage.”  We take pride in bringing high-caliber musical events to Charlotte and we encourage other singers to visit our Queen City as well.

When it comes to South Asian Entertainment, its not just about “Bollywood”, the growth of Indian or South Asian Film Festivals has also seen a great popularity in recent years.  Events such as CSAFF, IFFLA and IIFF Tampa all provide platforms to Independent Film Makers of South Asian decent to showcase their work to the world.  When it comes to cinema, Bollywood is India’s undisputed hero, but Indie films have made waves with searing portrayals of real life events and fictional stories that challenge cultural norms and conservative sensibilities, growing the Film Festival followings.

“The Indian community has growing in big numbers and the general population has taken an interest in our culture and community. This is visible through the presence of Indian characters in Movies, TV shows and even in Politics, Business and more. With the exposure comes the stereotypes and misconceptions as well. It is upto us to provide opportunity and platforms to educate more about our culture to the general public and events like this play an important role in that while giving an opportunity for our own community to showcase their talent.” -says Francis Vayalumkal, Executive Director and Founder of the India International Film Festival of Tampa Bay (IIFF).

So whether your interest is sparked by Big Production Concert Events, Bollywood Films or a showcase of upcoming Indie Films, your sure to find something of interest with The Rise of “Bollywood” and South Asian Entertainment in North America.