'Unforgettable' opening with 10,000 fans for Bachchan tour

Nearly all the people who saw the show LOVED IT to hysteria.. guys.. what's up?

I don't know if these people attended some other show or what.. but the NJ and NYC ones I saw were PURE SMASH dazzling successes- filled houses, et. all.

Madhuri was like a force of rhythm and talent so enchanting, the crowd just kept chanting her name over and over again with ovations, et all. She is like Venus incarnate.. a true beauty of India.. her dances are almost spiritual.

Aishwarya is like the luminous moon-- her eyes were so dazzling.. she is a true beauty.

Abhi/Aish was the cute couple- their happiness shone and shone.

Now AB was the King of Magic.. he was truly astonishing.. not enough could be said about him.. he is the star. The show was just magical. Never saw a bigger ovation than the one he got. True legend!

Show ended at 1:30 AM.. we partied till dawn.. and here still in a euphoria over the dazzle. Encore ! Encore !

Toronto: After desperate attempts by the Unforgettable Tour guys to paint what was a flop show as a superhit (a trick often employed in Mumbai with new releases), they seem to have come around to the realization that it was indeed a flop show. Having been able to sell less than a third of the available tickets at the Rogers Centre, there was no question in those present at the venue that the Bachchan magic was on the wane, and largely helped by unrealistic ticket prices and the less than capable promotion provided by the local organizers.

India Abroad received several letters claiming there were not more than 8,000 people present. One letter writer lamented that 'such outstanding artists had to perform before empty seats.'
Roger Nair, the distributor of the film Guru in Canada [Images], said there were a maximum of 8,000 to 10,000 people present.
Peter Fonseca, Ontario's minister of tourism, told India Abroad that there were 23,000 people present. When told there were reports contrary to that number, he said he would try and find out.His office came back with an excuse that they were misinformed by the promoters of the show Ethnic guru and the number was not from their office and thus washed their hands off.

Mumbai-based Wizcraft International Entertainment, the organisers of the tour, parted company with the Canadian promoters, Ethnic Guru, saying that the latter had failed to meet contractual commitments, a statement released by them in India said.

According to an IANS dispatch, the organisers have also notified Ethnic Guru to refund the money of the sponsors and also of the people who bought the tickets.

And now comes the news that the Vancouver has dropped the Bachchans for lack of box office enthusiasm among the fans.

Well known local promoter Kamal Sharma, who had been handling ticket sales for the Vancouver show, announced last Thursday the cancellation and offered refunds for those who had bought tickets.

"This is a real disappointment for the fans and it is certainly a set back for Vancouver as a Bollywood stars show destination," Sharma told the local paper LINK. "But there was apprehension about the prices of tickets but I believe it is still a doable show and for the sake of the fans I hope the show is saved."

Sharma said a drastic reduction in price from the Tour's management company WizCraft is the only way to save the show. The bottom price that WizCraft will sell the show for is $650,000 but Sharma feels that is still too high and something in the range of $500,000 - $550,000 is what will put the show back on track.

Some people now wonder why there was such an unseemly haste in portraying the show as a hit even by the Senior Bachchan on his website and some pliable media, when it was all too evident that Toronto was best forgotten. It was embarrassing when a blogger wrote on the same website, that he was there and he was a witness to the empty chairs.

A lot of attention is being paid to the local organizers who is being blamed for faulty organization, and an arrogant attitude. A source confided to Voice, "Last year they made a presentation to one of the major Canadian corporations, and they wanted $1 million in sponsorship. And they were serious!"

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty might have something to do with creating this uncalled for level of confidence when he first lent his name to an event that launched the Unforgettable Tour last year where he was present and spoke eloquently of the 'Miss World' and her husband, Bachchan Jr. who were present. As a smart politician, it was a great photo opportunity for the Premier, but the people connected with it now suddenly swelled with importance and expectations.

With the collapse of the Toronto show, yet another dream of the Bachchans might have vanished - to host the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) film festival in Toronto in 2011. In fact, according to one insider, the local agents with the support of some senior politicians were hoping to garner financial support for the festival, selling it as a great PR exercise both within and without the South Asian community.

"If the financial support of various levels of government had come through, they would've profited in the millions of dollars," said a source privy to how government grants work.

Now with so much negative attached to the Toronto opening, it is unlikely that the supporters within the government will be eager to cut the cheques for an event that could put their careers on line.

Considering that it was my very first attendance at a Desi extravaganza of this nature, my hopes were not too high. Even then, I was disappointed. I paid almost $200 and drove almost 2 hours to see a show :

1. that started 90 minutes late
2. where the music was WAY TOO LOUD and monotonous in its flavors
3. that started with a mediocre bhangra opening done by a local school
4. constant, over-active electronic displays on stage
5. with garish costumes on the actors
6. with an over-whelming masala of rock stars,comedy, poetry, speeches about keeping the earth green, etc, etc

Worst of all were the physical conditions of Madhuri and Ashwariya. Goodness, what happened to Madhuri ? She looked so lovely in Aaja Nachle ! As for Ash, if she is, in fact, pregnant then, for God's sake, stay off the stage ! Ash put in a pitiful, half-hearted dance performance as though she was doing us a favor by just showing up. Plllleeeeeaaaassssseeeee. If these stars were tired due to their show schedule, then they need to get more rest in-between shows (and ask for less money ??)

Sorry, Bachchans, this was truly a FORGETABLE show. Do watch yourselves on video and do SIT THROUGH THE ENTIRE SHOW. Moreover, make your directors and producers watch the entire show. Then, take 2 Tylenol tablets (as I did) and see if you can fix it for the next time around. (Dont drink the 3 scotches that I downed just to dampen the throbbing headache that I endured watching you all).

On a positive note, the dancers in your troupe were fantastic - in great shape and alive and passionate on stage !

Your show was unforgettable, but not in the way you probably intended !!!

fauzia in San Francisco

The entire show was a flop. The Bachchans were hardly on the floor. The entire show was done by the other people in the troupe. Not worth the money or the time.

i was very disappointed with the concert, for a power house team, i expected better and more, my ticket cost was 220.$,i travelled from montreal to attend this show, i guess not enough indian fans in mtl for them to come to mtl,i actors only interacted with audience sitting next to the stage......sad.............i felt so close to them yet so far....the acts were short and lack essence....music was louddddddddddddd,only good thing, were their costumes.the mc was lousy.....she could have dressed more appropriately..