Broadway style theatre comes to Indian TV with `Nautanki`

Mumbai: New and innovative formats are paving their way into Indian showbiz. Taking the trend forward is a new show `Nautanki: The Comedy Theatre`, which is set to bring Broadway style theatre to the small screen.

With the presence of Bollywood actors Tusshar Kapoor and Neha Dhupia, the show promises to be different. "The format is such that we are not like typical judges. It is not really a competition. We are trying to get Broadway theatre into TV. It is a mixture of TV, film and theatre all at once," Tusshar said. With a new theme in every episode, audiences will witness a life like magical set made using a special four-turntable construction. It will have changing props that helps the acts to move fluidly between locations while breaking into scenic transitions and settings. Tusshar and Neha will play team owners of a Nautanki company in search of the main lead along with their ensemble cast of four primary characters. The story line moves forward in every episode with the four artists playing different characters trapped in various situations, along with cameos by different celebrity guests in every episode. Neha is excited about her association with the show and more so about the unique sets. "We are trying to bring old school theatre, which is extremely glamorous. Our biggest asset is the big set. It has a huge element of surprise. One minute you are in someone`s living room, and the next you are in Chambal. This is the beauty of what TV has become today," she said. Neha is glad that with shows like these, the world of TV and films are merging, and creating opportunities for talent galore. "People from TV are crossing over to films and vice versa. There is so much more opportunity when it all becomes one, like it is in the west," she said. The actress took on the show, but admits it has made her realise that making people laugh isn`t easy. The show, which will also features actors like Kamya Punjabi, Rashmi Desai, Ghuggi and child artist Saloni Daini, will go on air Feb 2. IANS