Everyone loves a happy ending

Rachna Patel, Priya Pragji, Akshita Nama.

INDIA is the world’s largest producer of film, and with more than 1000 feature-length releases annually, Bollywood films are a major factor in why. Now, the colour, movement and feel-good storylines have been translated for the stage.
Akshita Nama is founder of Auckland-based Bollywood dance company Indiance, and director, choreographer and lead actress in their latest stage production, It Takes A Village.
“It’s about a small village, and how they need to work together to save the their homes from city developers. I’m a girl from the city who goes to the village and falls in love with a village boy,” she says.
“It’s a Bollywood movie, but on stage.’
Indiance started in 2004, when Nama, her sister and two cousins hired a hall and began teaching Bollywood dance there once a week. The company began with 20 students, and now has 100 – almost all of whom perform in the production.
“There are 20 dances in the whole show. There’s a hero, a love story, an evil person, some really cheesy dances, lots of energy; it’s going to be a huge explosion of colour.”
And in true Bollywood style the ending will, of course, be happy.
“Everyone loves a happy ending. It’s like the dream that everyone wants to have, but no-one likes to say it.”
It Takes A Village, St James Theatre, April 30.