It might surprise my American friends to learn that Hindi cinema, commonly referred to as Bollywood, produces the more films, and generates more ticket sales, than Hollywood, California. To the tune of ONE BILLION tickets a year more! Hollywood is in fact, the oldest film industry in the world, generating the highest box office gross revenue but Bollywood is the largest. It’s easy to figure that the industry nickname of Bollywood mimics the American film city’s name, but it also fuses the city of Mumbai, formerly Bombay and Hollywood together. And just like it’s American sibling, you can visit the lots of Bollywood and take in a show at Kingdom of Dreams.
Kingdom of Dreams is a complex that was opened in 2010 to feature live Bollywood performances in the Nautanki Mahal auditorium. The shows rival anything you might see in Las Vegas with elaborate sets, costumes, singing and dancing. And while the show is in Hindi, I found the story lines easy to follow and the productions a visual feast!
Outside of the auditorium you can wander through Culture Gully, an arts, crafts and food boulevard under India’s first sky dome. It’s a massive place with an indoor street with a wide variety of eats, street performers and shops. As a tall blonde, I must confess to feeling a wee-bit uncomfortable with the amount of attention I garnered while I was in “the Gully”. At one point I thought I might just wave at everyone and be done with it!
For those touring this area more broadly, you might see pictures of Leisure Valley Park and think you want to visit. Don’t bother. It’s no Central Park. Poorly maintained, burned grass and dried up fountains. Save yourself the disappointment. That said, Kingdom of Dreams is a kaleidoscope of sights and sounds and very much worth the visit!
