Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

British Indian actor in Bollywood-themed Wedding Party homage for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

The Wedding Party will be performed in an elaborate Bollywood style, by 250 performers of all ages, from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle.

British Indian actor in Bollywood-themed Wedding Party homage for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

A British Indian actor is all set with a special Bollywood-themed Wedding Party, complete with a six-metre-high four-tiered cake and a specially designed sari, to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee outside Buckingham Palace in London.

Ajay Chhabra and his Nutkhut performance company have been chosen to represent the Commonwealth theme from a South Asian perspective for a grand Platinum Jubilee Pageant on Sunday (5) – one of the many highlight events over the weekend marking the 96-year-old monarch's 70 years on the British throne.


The 51-year-old actor took inspiration from the royal wedding of the Queen with Prince Philip in 1947 for the centrepiece wedding cake, with each tier representing the Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees of the monarch's reign.

“Seventy years ago, my mother, nine years old at the time, welcomed the Queen to Fiji; a 10,000-mile journey resulted in her and three generations of women in my family making London their home,” said Chhabra, a popular stage, television and radio actor and producer of Indian-Fijian heritage.

“Seventy years on, my daughter, now nine years old, will celebrate and participate in our section of the Pageant for Her Royal Highness. This intergenerational family story lives on,” he said.

Created jointly with fellow Nutkhut Artistic Director Simmy Gupta, the Wedding Party is designed as a celebration of the universal joy of families and communities uniting through the coming together of two people.

“Born in Wolverhampton and from a working-class background, I am honoured to be invited to curate a section of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, it is such a unique and rare opportunity,” said Gupta.

“A decade ago, I was invited by the Royal Household to create a piece for the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace – to now bring this celebration to the streets of London along with a diverse group of people, from all walks of life, this is a special moment in time. My grandmother would be proud,” she said.

The Wedding Party will be performed in an elaborate Bollywood style, by 250 performers of all ages, from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle.

Nutkhut says the spirit of the Commonwealth will flow through its specially-designed Platinum Jubilee sari, a key feature of the performance and composed of sustainable organic fabric.

“I am delighted to be working with Simmy and Ajay from Nutkhut. Their connection with the community and their artistic vision captures the essence of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on the world's stage,” said Pageant Master Adrian Evans.

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant, as part of the extended Bank Holiday Weekend in the UK starting on June 2, will take place on Sunday, providing an opportunity for communities to celebrate a historic milestone as the first British monarch celebrates 70 years of royal service.

The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as moments of reflection on the past seven decades. The Wedding Party by Nutkhut will be a key feature in the Pageant, which will meander through the streets of Westminster, along The Mall to Buckingham Palace in the heart of London, telling the story of a record reign and the transformation of society over this period.

(PTI)

More For You

Nick Jonas Opens Up About Fears of Malti Entering Showbiz

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra share a special moment with their daughter Malti

Instagram/PriyankaChopra

Nick Jonas says it's 'scary' to imagine daughter Malti in showbiz after what he and Priyanka faced

Nick Jonas is no stranger to fame. From performing on Broadway as a child to becoming one-third of the Jonas Brothers, he’s spent most of his life under the spotlight. His wife, Priyanka Chopra, entered the world of glamour as a teenager, winning Miss World at 18 before making it big in Bollywood and then Hollywood. So, it’s only natural that people are curious whether their daughter, Malti Marie, might follow in their footsteps.

During a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Nick opened up about the possibility. When asked whether he’d be okay with his daughter getting into the entertainment industry at a young age, he paused before saying it’s a decision she’ll have to make herself. While three-year-old Malti already enjoys singing, Nick admitted that the idea of her stepping into such a demanding field so early is unsettling.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment

Chirag Rao brings his unique Bollywood-inspired concert experience to the stage, blending classic jazz with timeless Hindi hits

Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment

RAO’S LIVE SUCCESS

British singer Chirag Rao has been on a brilliant roll with his Hindi cinema-inspired concerts, including the popular Bollywood Time Machine shows. He has a series of upcoming performances that are well worth catching, with The Bollywood Bratpack concert at Harrow Arts Centre on July 19 being a standout.

Keep ReadingShow less
Akshay Kumar tells King Charles to watch Kesari 2: “You’ll know why the British should say sorry”

Akshay Kumar urges King Charles to watch Kesari 2

Instagram/DharmaProductions

Akshay Kumar tells King Charles to watch Kesari 2: “You’ll know why the British should say sorry”

Akshay Kumar isn’t asking for an apology. He just wants the British to look back and really see what happened. With his upcoming film Kesari Chapter 2 hitting screens on April 18, the actor is urging both the UK government and King Charles to watch the film and confront a dark chapter in colonial history.

The film, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and based on The Case That Shook the Empire by Raghu and Pushpa Palat, tells the story of C. Sankaran Nair, a Malayali lawyer who took legal action against General Dyer and the British government after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. The massacre when British troops opened fire on a peaceful crowd remains one of the most horrific events of British rule in India.

Keep ReadingShow less
My playlist with Rizaan Ali

Rizaan Ali

My playlist with Rizaan Ali

RISING music star Rizaan Ali blends Hindi and English lyrics in his songs. The 26-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago has been a twotime Chutney Soca Monarch finalist and is also a youth achievement award winner.

The ambitious young artist aims to take Indo-Caribbean music global and recently released his latest single You’re A Winner.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shreeja Chaturvedi Impresses with UK Debut in ‘Forgive and Forget’

Presenting 'Forgive and Forget' on stage

Soho Theatre & OML

'Forgive and Forget' review: Shreeja Chaturvedi delivers dynamic UK debut

After making an impressive mark on the Mumbai circuit and gaining popularity online, stand-up comedian Shreeja Chaturvedi recently performed her first show outside India at Soho Theatre in London.

Far from being intimidated by the international leap, the naturally gifted comic delivered an assured performance at the iconic venue, which has become a platform for rising Indian talent in recent years.

Keep ReadingShow less