Kinga Malec, who took professional training in both dance forms in India, imparts lessons in Poland. “Much of the interest is owing to Bollywood movies,” said the 22-year-old Polish national...
Malec, who is also a professionally-trained ballet and ski dancer, added, “Bollywood movies and music are becoming popular among Poles, especially youngsters. Many of them come to us
after watching a Hindi movie to learn classical dance steps
performed in song sequences in the film.”
Anna Baliszewska, 20, who learns Kathak from Malec, said she decided to learn Bollywood and Indian classical dance forms after watching Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham five years ago...
“The grace in the execution of steps and the degree of difficulty in performing them fascinated me the most,” she said...
Malec’s compatriot, Kalina Duwadzinska, 24, who was in India for a year to take lessons in Kathak and Bharatnatyam, said she was hooked to the art of telling a story through dance and expressions.
Though there is a significant rise in interest in classical dance forms, Bollywood dancing remains the most popular in Poland. “We have at least 50 students per class,” said Malec...
“While classical dance forms are more disciplined and connected to the soul, Bollywood dancing is energetic and easier to learn,” said Magdalena Inglot, 25, who teaches Bollywood and classical dances in the country...
Apart from conducting classes, Malec and her friends also perform Indian classical dances during shows and events. Malec’s younger brother Piotr, 17, has even learnt to play the tabla.
The Bollywood extravaganza has hooked Polish celebrities too. Singing and dancing sensation Natasza Urbanska, who won the ‘No 1 Polish Performer’ award in 2010, is keen to use Bollywood movies as a platform to achieve global success...
Rajesh Motwani, a Polish citizen of Indian origin and owner of Eurobatt batteries, who manages Urbanska’s career in India and Asia, said, “We are in talks with leading film producers in Bollywood to cast her in a movie.” The gorgeous Urbanska is already a rage in Poland. She is collaborating with playback singer Sonu Niigaam Ji for a multilingual song...
The growing popularity of Bollywood movies has also kindled interest in Polish society about other facets of Indian culture, including food and Hindi. The fad for Indian food is such that in the past year-and-a-half, over a dozen Indian restaurants have opened up in Warsaw, the Polish capital.
Ashok Mannani, owner of the popular chain Namaste India, said the success of Bollywood movies in Poland had a lot to do with the rise of the Indian restaurant business.
“The Poles particularly love butter chicken, chicken masala and rogan josh. Of late, there has been growing demand for starters like Punjabi samosas and mango lassis,” he said.
Apart from dining at Indian restaurants, many Polish citizens are learning how to cook Indian food. And many are queuing up at the department of Indology in various Polish universities to learn Hindi...
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