Taj Express to offer ‘colourful presentation’ of diverse Indian culture

AMMAN — What makes Taj Express - The Bollywood Musical, different is that it gives the audience a glimpse of India in the style of Bollywood, according to the female leading actress of the performance, Tanvi Oke. 

She will be among a number of Indian dancers performing the musical in Amman on Friday and Saturday.

“Taj Express is a fusion of the east and west, which includes electrifying dance numbers like the Lavni from Maharashtra, the high energy bhangra of the Punjab, [and the] beautiful and elegant yet fast paced Gujrati Garba,” Oke told The Jordan Time in an e-mail interview.  

The performance, which will be held at Al Hussein Youth City’s Cultural Palace, “incorporates all these various dance forms together along with [around] 2,000 sparkling costumes and lavish sets”, the performer said. 

“I am so proud of Taj Express because the energy you witness on stage is contagious, which will leave you mesmerised and thrilled,” she added.  

The show, organised by Friends of Jordan Festivals, combines modern pop and Bollywood culture, with deep-rooted centuries-old Indian traditions, and features “over 1,500 extravagant costumes, 2,000 glittering accessories, and foot-tapping music”, the organisers said in a statement. 

“India is a land of dreams which has one of the richest and most vivid history and heritage. It is the most culturally diverse country in the world. From east to west, north to south, the languages, religions, architecture, food, dance, music and costumes differ,” Oke added. 

Tanay Pinglay, one of the male dancers, said the dances of Taj Express were chosen and choreographed to the famous numbers of Bollywood movies, keeping the storyline in mind.

The performance — “a colourful presentation of Indian culture” — will feature “12 kinds of Indian dance styles”, with each song and dance representing a different culture of a particular area in India, the organisers said.