Thaindian News

London, October 14 (ANI): Bollywood music rocked the Buckingham Palace recently when the Queen hosted a reception for British Asians to celebrate the talent in the community.

The monarch hosted a reception for Indian writers, actors, sportsmen and business people ahead of a state visit by the Indian President Pratibha Patil at the end of the month.

And the stage was set at the palace’s ballroom in the shadow of a 30ft domed red velvet canopy, used at the coronation Durbar, or court, of George V and Queen Mary in Delhi, India in 1911.

The main performance was a 15-minute extract from the show ‘Bollywood Steps,’ which was done by dance group ‘Nutkhut,’ founded by husband and wife Ajay Chhabra and Simmy Gupta.

‘We felt the setting leant itself to a film set - the columns, the fabric of the canopy - the bling of it stood out,” the Telegraph quoted Ajay as saying.

Simmy added: ‘It’s a real privilege and honour to be asked to perform in the palace. We’re British, we’re Asian, we are contemporary, we also know our roots.’

Also, present at the event was Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal, from the BBC comedy show The Kumars at No 42.

Syal said: ‘I was watching the performance and thinking this is the place where the head of state has sat and received people.

‘And in this hallowed space you’ve got a group of Bhangra dancers, this is amazing, this is progress.’

Her husband added: ‘The Queen was commenting on how good Meera’s make-up is in the show.

‘I tried to explain that Meera was wearing the make up now - underneath she’s the granny - which made the Queen laugh.’

Other guests at the event included cricketer Monty Panesar and Coronation Street star Jimmi Harkishin who plays Asian businessman Dev Alahan. (ANI)