The King is coming to Rosemont this August.
No, not the ghosts of Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson.
It's actually the "King of Bollywood" as veteran film actor Shah Rukh Khan is known to adoring fans.
Khan is among the hottest stars from the Mumbai-based Indian film industry that gave birth to the moniker "Bollywood" who will grace the Rosemont Convention Center stage on Aug. 15 and 16.
The show, dubbed South Asian Carnival, is packed with celebrity actors and singers from the India/Pakistan region who will perform musical numbers from popular films and albums.
Yet, it's not your typical concert as audiences will be able to mingle with the stars, shop for ethnic jewelry, clothes and food, attend a bridal fashion show and watch cooking demonstrations.
"We needed at least 200,000 square feet of capacity and an open banquet area for the booths, multiple stages and cafeteria," said Monty Syed of Live Bollywood Shows, the Rosemont carnival's promoter and organizer.
The inspiration for the event was borrowed from the Indian satellite network Zee TV's Carnival, held annually in London and last year in New Jersey, Syed said.
"We made it bigger," Syed said referring to the star-studded lineup for the Rosemont carnival.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, the iconic Khan, divas Diya Mirza and Bipasha Basu, and villain/comedian Gulshan Grover - household names for Bollywood fans - will greet audiences throughout the day from noon to 8 p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 16, the celebrities du jour are heartthrob Saif Ali Khan, and bombshells Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.
Syed organized last August's Unforgettable Tour at the Hoffman Estates' Sears Centre, which included Bollywood headliners such as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, better known by Western audiences as a former Ms. World and L'Oreal spokesmodel and for her roles in "Bride & Prejudice" and "The Pink Panther 2."
"We had almost 12,000 people in one day," said Syed, a 33-year-old Gujrat, India-born entrepreneur who has organized such shows for the past 12 years.
Syed expects the Rosemont carnival will draw 35,000 to 40,000 people over the two days.
"The biggest thing is the meet and greet (with actors)," Syed said. "Our community, they are crazy about the actors and actresses."
While audiences get pictures and autographs from their favorite actors, there will be nonstop musical entertainment and performances on another stage for eight hours on both days.
"If you want to see all the actors and actresses and listen to all the singers then you basically go for both of the days," Syed said. "We have a lot of surprises in this carnival also. It's up to the celebrities what they do on stage."
Tickets are $25 in advance, and $35 at the door and can be purchased online at southasiancarnival.com or livebollywoodshows.com, or from area Indian/Pakistani stores sponsoring the event.
Source: dailyherald
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