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Leeds Mela - Bollywood in the Park
This is this first Bollywood in the Park as the Leeds Mela changes direction to embrace a more Bollywood centric event.
There was a real mixture of anticipation and curiosity to discover how this transformation would take place and on reflection there was a real mixture of success and indifference in the end.
I must say the marketing, the kind hospitality and the general organisation of the event was well put together, it was really the lack of out right entertainment that let the show down.
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The event was punctuated with guest appearances from Bollywood stars, mostly borrowed from the IIAF Awards in Sheffield, such as Salman Khan, who would show up blow some kisses, sign some autographs, tell us they loved us and would move on, which if you are a complete Bollywood nut may well be worth the £3 - £5 entrance fee, but realistically I felt the audience were sold short.
I do think the idea is brilliant, the concept is great, just make these people work for their money, we wanted to see a performance, a selection of big songs from their movies, dancers, music, insight, this is a Mela they have attended, not a press conference.
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The weather on the other hand was fantastic, allowing people to sit around on the grass having family picnics, there was a good selection of stalls, a decent funfair and enough going on in the other stages to keep people interested.
Although, Roundhay Park is fairly big and with a number of food stalls circling the area around the perimeter by the time you had walked from one end to the other and back again you needed a well deserved rest. |
West is East Fashion Show
Most Mela tend to have a fashion element, but I can safely say this was the best and most interesting Mela fashion show I have witnessed.
Some of the designs were truly innovative, the blend of East and Western styles well complemented, along with the hospitality, the tempo and more professional approach, it made all the difference from just having a selection of saris from the local dealer, and even at
£35 for a VIP ticket it was well worth it and people left feeling they had seen something special. |
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Bollywood in the Park deserves a chance to grow, as more and more Mela continue to appear around the UK, it is only natural that some will carve out a niche to bring something new to the equation and the Leeds Mela board are leading the way.
Given time and the right support, it is completely possible that Leeds can become the center for Bollywood in the UK, offering premiers of new movies, perhaps making it the biggest Asian Film Festival in the UK, perhaps being at the center of the emerging British Asian film industry, perhaps becoming a place where Bollywood stars have to go to and put on a performance rather than just show face.
The possibilities are exciting and although with their first year, you could tell they are still finding their feet, Leeds Mela should be justly proud of the strides they have made, taking an insightful and brave decision that deserves the backing from the council, the funders and the people of Leeds. |
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