Thank you everyone!

We want to thank the audience who came to see us and we sincerely hope you all enjoyed our performance. The show was almost sold out. It's been wonderful to see how much audience Ek Kahani - Love Story has gathered so far. As director, it's been inspiring to hear the reactions of the audience during the show; how they empathised the play. The whole cast was happy to hear all the positive feedback after the show. Truly, it gives us strengh to keep going, organizing more Bollywood dance events for you.

Many have asked, will there be another Ek Kahani show? Anything is possible!

We would like to thank our sponsors and partners Cultural Centre Caisa, Café Caisa, Sisustusmaalaus Värinä, Tao Bazar, Finnish-Indian Society and Vissu Entertainments for making the show possible. Special thanks goes to our photographers: Nita Vera, Ilkka Roitto and Alejandro Lorenzo. Your beautiful work truly inspires us to give our best. Also big thanks to our videographers Antti Suvilehto and Aki Flink for capturing the show.

Reetta Flink
The director of the play

Last day before the performance!

We hope you are ready because the Big Day is tomorrow!! :) 

The whole team, cast and crew, are excited and happy. We can't wait for tomorrow. It's going to be great!

Do you have your tickets? You can still get them in advance from Tiketti before tomorrow noon, or then at the venue in Caisa starting at 5 pm.

Just before the performance, we want to share with you these funny pictures of the lovely leading couple. See you all tomorrow! :) 

Pictures by: Nita Vera

Interview with our energic and funny Pappu - Sivakumar Karuppusamy

Sivakumar Karuppusamy is a student and an entrepreneur who's been living in Finland for past 7 years. He loves backpacking, exploring different cultures and countries. His passions are street art and theater. Apart from acting the role of Pappu ín our play, Siva has worked together with Reetta Flink and Ilona Kolachana for BollywoodFrost Entertaiment.

- You are the founder or one of the founders of BollywoodFrost. How and what of Indian culture are you bringing to Finland?

- BollywoodFrost is more of my dream project since it brings here the culture in which I have grown up. With BollywoodFrost, I started being a DJ and playing music around an Indian theme. India has more than 78 languages and there is so much sensational and beautiful music out there... Also I am planning to do more fusion music, for instance African mixed with Indian or Latin mixed with Indian. The world is mixing, so why not the music! I have already performed in two music events, but there still is a long way to go and I feel that I am improving all the time. I am also interested to screen Indian movies in Finland and organize some adventure tourism in India (something like visiting beautiful Indian village and explore the real culture rather staying in tourist spots). Check out The BollywoodFrost website and like us on facebook!

- You will play the part of Pappu, the best friend of the main character Amit, in "Ek Kahani". Have you acted earlier in your life? Are you nervous about the approaching show? 

- I acted in school and during college days for fun. I have never been afraid of being in the spotlight! 

- People say you have a great, loud voice - how come? Have you taken singing lessons earlier? 

- My school teacher told me quite often to shut my mouth... I never listened to her... maybe that helps now! 

- What are your thoughts on "Ek Kahani"? What do you think it means to people who are onstage, to people who are in the audience? 

- I don't think much. I simply want to feel the character and do my role. I really enjoy doing it. 

- Tell us more about yourself!

- I am a serial entrepreneur full of ideas and I am a master student at the Aalto university. I love the feeling of transforming ideas into reality which also could help someone. I love travelling, mostly in a hippie way, and of course usual Indian stuff; yoga and mediation along with drinking and partying. Even though I feel sometimes I do not fit in the Finnish culture, deep inside me I have great love for Finland. On the other hand I feel sometimes reverse culture shock from India. I don't know to where I belong to... maybe to the world!

Interviewer: Laura Kunnas

The Dress Rehearsals

This Saturday, the dress rehearsals of "Ek Kahani" continued late in the night. Everyone is practicing hard to make the play perfect, and in my opinion, it's starting to look really good. Of course, no one forgets to have fun too! Here we give you a glimpse into the rehearsals and a couple of short interviews. Enjoy! :)

Interviewer: Laura Kunnas
Camera: Laura Kunnas / Reetta Flink
Editing: Reetta Flink

Interview with Arti Sudhindra - the Strong Mother

Although Arti Sudhindra was born in Karnataka, South India, her roots are in Rajasthan - the land of colors. Dancing became her passion ever since she was a child, and over the years, she has been into dancing, choreographing, performing, and acting. She also hosted a TV show on the local channels in a few cities of South India. 

Arti came to Finland in 2008. She was thrilled to see the Bollywood -love people have in here, and so she decided to contribute to it. Currently the lovely Arti Sudhindra works as a freelancer dance teacher, choreographer and performer. Apart from dancing, she enjoys spending time with her family, good humour, rain, snow, listening to soothing music, and many other things!... 

- You are a great dancer - I've seen! - and a popular dancing teacher. Can you tell us more about your career, where did it all start and how did you continue? 

- Well, thank you for the kind words! I am grateful to all the students who have shown interest and trust by choosing my lessons. Talking about my career, I am a graduate in Fashion Designing, but that has nothing to do with my career. I worked as a customer service manager, then as a Business development executive. I was working as a senior quality executive in my previous job back in India, and then I decided to take up the role of a mother, so if you see, there is not really any obvious connection. 

One thing that remained connected to me throughout was Dancing. My mom says I started dancing since I learned to walk. I would like to share something, the memory is still fresh in my mind. I was studying in 2^nd standard and was going to participate in the first ever dance competition at my school. My parents got me a new dance costume, choose lovely Rajasthani (North Indian) music for me and guided me throughout; they taught me how to utilize the stage, how much important the expressions are and that above all it is the confidence that makes it a better performance. I just followed what they taught... I won the first place in my first dance competition and it just continued from then on, so it's my parents who laid the foundation and the spark of Dance in me. There was always encouragement from my brothers and sister too. I never realized when it became my passion. I am equally thankful to my husband Sudhi, who continued to encourage me to keep up my passion. after marriage. 

- What does dancing mean to you?

- Dancing to me honestly means Passion, Meditation, therapy, a friend, a stress buster, a great way of expression. I feel it is very important to have the expressions and the confidence. And for that, you have to belive in yourself first.

- You are not only a performer, but a teacher as well. Tell us your thoughts about teaching dancing to others!

- Everyone is a dancer in a way. They realize it when they find the right tune or a music that brings out that dancer in them. Teaching is important for those who wants to take it to the next level. 

- You will be playing the role of the Mother in "Ek Kahani". What do you think the show means for both those onstage and those in the audience? 

- "Ek Kahani" is an event which has changed a part of life for all those connected to it right from the Director to the Extras. It has helped many of us realize our potentials, strengths and weaknesses, added confidence; it's like a baby, when it comes home, you realize so much about yourself and the world around you and then you get so used to it, you start to think how well you can help her grow! And that's what I strongly feel each of us is thinking at the moment - to grow it, and us, to reach the next level… 

Picture by Saija Helin

- What else do you do in life; what are your favorite things, your hobbies, your dreams?

  

- I am a mother of two, I try in all possible ways to spend as much time as I can with my babies and my hubby. Some of the common interests I share with my kids are swimming, watching the moon, and enjoying the snow, rain, and walks… Not to forget playing with Barbie, haha! Hmmm. My dreams are to learn skiing, go scuba diving, and swim with dolphins! But most of all I want to see my kids confident, and be the best in their careers, and be good citizens when they grow up. I think that will make me feel I have achieved everything in life! 

I have already said so much but one thing I definatly want to share is my mantra: "Nothing is Impossible! you just have to decide what you want!" 

Interviewer: Laura Kunnas

Video Interview during Ek Kahani practice

 Hi again, 

We all knew that Ek Kahani team is working hard to put up the great show again in Helsinki on Sep 15^th 2012 @ Caisan Sali, Helsinki. 

So we thought of holding some persons from the practice session to share their views on the show. It is really fun for me to be with this energetic team.

In this video you can witness the experiences of Manish, Laura and Saurabh, who seem to be having much fun during the practice session. 

You can book the event tickets in advance @ 

http://www.tiketti.fi/Ek-Kahani-Love-Story-Kulttuurikeskus-Caisa-Helsinki-lippuja/17080

Camera (wo)man : Laura Kunnas

Blogger: Vimal Raj A @ http://www.blogger.com/profile/04887144481181641130

Interview with Sudhindra B.S. - our dazzling hero

Sudhindra B.S. hails from the pub city Bangalore. After acting in many productions and on various occasions in India, we are honored to have him play the male lead of "Ek Kahani".

- If I understood right, you have acted quite a lot before. Please tell us more about your career? 

- I was quite active in my acting career during and a little after my graduation. I acted in the Rangantharanga theater club, and performed as major characters in more than 10 theater shows. I had won several awards for acting shows but closest to my heart is the National Award I won in the 1993 Anveshan Fest for Mono Acting. I also had an opportunity to direct a few plays in the inter-university competitions. I have compered shows, and also was narrating a live commentary in Chandana, Prasarabharthi National TV channels in India in the recent past. I have to admit though that I am not as active in acting as I was then because of other priorities in life… But anytime there is an opportunity, I won't let it go.

- What do you most enjoy about acting? 

-  Acting itself is my passion and so there is nothing specific in it that I enjoy the most. I enjoy every kind of role I am in to, and try my best to do justice to it.

- How does it feel like to act now, in Helsinki, in this beautiful production? 

 

- I was introduced to "Ek Kahani" by my wife. She convinced me to take part in it, and once we began the script writing, rehearsals, planning etc. I really started to enjoy it. It feels great to be a part of it. As I mentioned, it is always a pleasure to perform and I am very thankful to my wife for getting me in to it.

- You play the character of Amit, a young Indian man who comes to Finland for work and encounters many cultural shocks. Can you relate to the feelings the foreigners go through in the play?

- I am here with my family since 2008, then there was gap of about a year and we came back in 2010. And because I was here before for short visits for business meetings, I learned quite a few things about the place and it was easier to bring my family along. Touch wood - this country has been very welcoming to us, people have been sweet and no drunkard has bumped in so far in an embarrassing or scary way (unlike in Ek Kahani's railway station scene!). 

- My must-ask question to all non-Finns: do you like snow? :) 

 

- I do like snow but definitely not as much as my wife and Gubbi (my elder daughter) likes it! 

 

- What do you miss most about your home country India? 

- I miss my mom the most and of course our home.

- What else do you do in life; what are your favorite things, your hobbies, and your dreams? 

- I like to sing, act, and I am trying my hands on dancing too, to accompany my wife :) I have a dream to set up my own recording studio! Someday, maybe… And I want to learn Finnish. But truly my biggest dream is to see my kids prosper and be successful in life.

- Anything else you'd like to say?

- What is to happen, that is to happen...! (laugh)

Interviewer: Laura Kunnas

About the tickets

Tickets for our event can be bought in advance from Tiketti until Saturday 15th September at noon.

Basic ticket		15,00 €
Students and seniors		10,00 €
Child 6-17 years		10,00 €
Show & dinner - basic ticket		31,00 €
Show & dinner - students and seniors		26,00 €
Show & dinner - child 6-17 years		18,00 €

+ Tiketti service fee

After that, tickets can still be bought at the venue two hours before the show, starting at 17:00, for 17€ / 12 €.

Tickets for under 6-year-olds are free, but children will have to sit on the lap of their parents. There is no age limit for our event. There is no reservation for the places (it's first come, first serve). The doors will be opened at 18:30.

Café Caisa offers a tasty oriental dinner (inc. veg and non-veg main dishes) for the Ek Kahani audience before the show at 18:00 - 19:00 or after the show 20:30 - 21:30.
If you have bought the dinner ticket in advance, it has to be collected at the venue. Dinner tickets are also available at the venue. Payment by cash only!
Adult                     16€
Under 6 years old    8€

After the show, come to dance, party and enjoy with the actors and actresses! Welcome to the Bollywood Style After Party at  Café Caisa, starting at 10 pm until 2 am. The age limit to the party is 18 years. Tickets can be bought at the door. Payment by cash only!

Normal ticket                             7€
With Maharaja / Maharani card    5€
With Ek Kahani show ticket        5€

Memories from the Premiere

Three months after the Premiere of "Ek Kahani" we all still remember that very special day, filled with excitement and happiness. The show was sold out (we are sincerely sorry for those whom we had to turn out!). The audience enjoyed throughout the performance, and so did the actors, all from the shining leading couple to the statists monkeying around backstage. Anyone could feel the great ambiance, cheerful and thrilling, everywhere in the theatre. And when the show was over, the whole cast and crew could feel proud of themselves.

We want to use this possibility to thank again everyone involved in this project. Also big thanks to all in the audience! :)

Here are some gorgeous pictures from the Premiere for all to cherish and enjoy.

Our beloved Heroine & Hero

The roommates

The brides

Our great Bhangra number

The Mother's sorrow

The Heroine's anger

Separated and reunited

Dancing like anything

"Hello!" :)

The whole cast & crew together

We are now rejoicing over the approaching Encore performance of "Ek Kahani" and we are looking forward to seeing you there! :)  

Photos by: Ilkka Roitto & Alejandro Lorenzo
Text by: Laura Kunnas

Bolly Beat Dancers @ Helsinki Festival!

Helsinki Festival at a glance: It is Finland's largest multi-arts festival that takes place every year in August-September. The festival's aim is to provide a broad domestic and foreign public unique art experiences. In 2012, the Helsinki Festival organized 17.8.-02.09.
2011 festival had 184 000 visitors, ticketed events were attended by 53 500 visitors and free events by 130 200 visitors.

Leaving statistics behind, let's narrow our interest to our dance show :) When I reached the place where we were supposed to give our show, I was quite amazed to see the number of the people in the audience. I am sure that they are aware of our show since it was advertised in the below link: http://www.helsinginjuhlaviikot.fi/ty_tapahtuma/bollywood-tanssishow/

When we occupied the stage, it was very clear from the audience's faces that they're gonna witness something amazing! Sari gave an official intro about the dance group and she warmly welcomed everyone for the dance. 



Dancers:- Sari, Tero, Vimal, Ilona and Sanna (from left to right)

We started with the song Aathichudi, which ended with a heavy note, followed by Zoobi Doobi, which flowed like a cool sweet breeze among the audience. 










Then was our new choreo for those in romantic mood ... Ohh la laaaa... The romantic drama was received well, even though it was portrayed in a difference language, but the message was conveyed. :) 





After the romantic part people witnessed the Bollywood song, which was gracefully done with Sari, Ilona, and Sanna, which was followed by SHUT UP AND BOUNCE (the audience was shaking their heads all over the song) :)


   

Finally, the Kutti pisase song - need at least 2-3 batteries to move for this song :) :) :)

Photo from:  http://www.hs.fi

We ended the show by dancing the Chamak Challo song and also taught it to audience. 

 

It was really good to see the audience could follow our dance moves and Indian songs easily with smiles on their faces :)












In the meantime, the flyers were distributed to the audience about Bolly Beat Dance School (www.bollybeat.fi) and also about very much expected show Ek Kahani (planned on 15th Sep 2012). 





Event published in Helsingin Sanomat website:-                                    

http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/Taiteiden+y%C3%B6+levitt%C3%A4ytyi+ymp%C3%A4ri+Helsinki%C3%A4++katso+kuvakooste/a1305594982808

Article about the show in Helsingin Sanomat newspaper:-

Bindies to the forehead and lets go! The Bolly Beat Dancers warmed up the audience with Indian rhythms at the corner of Aleksanterinkatu and Kluuvikatu.
The performance was watched by several dozens

 of ppl, who, when the speed went up, started
to smile.
The dancers danced with devotion, living fully with music. In one part the female dancers flirted with the male dancers and in other parts played coy.
At the end of the show the audience got to dance also. Over ten ppl were brave enough to got on the stage and even in the audience ppl were trying out the moves.
Eija Peltokorpi was celebrating her bday with collegues. "My friends made me go and dance. But I had a lot of fun".
The group didn't mind that they missed out on the Dominos. "Seeing Eija dance was worth missing the Dominos," Tiina Partanen says.

Blogger: Vimal Raj A @ http://www.blogger.com/profile/04887144481181641130

Our amazing new flyer! :)

Ek Kahani - Love Story - Encore!

La 15.9.2012 klo 19.00 - 20:30

Liput Tiketistä: 15 € / 10 € (+ palvelumaksu),  Ovelta käteisellä: 17€ / 12 € kaksi tuntia ennen esityksen alkua. Alle 6-vuotiaat lapset ilmaiseksi.
Näytelmän kieli: Englanti

Caisan sali
Mikonkatu 17 C / Vuorikatu 14, Helsinki

Ek Kahani – Love Story on Bollywood-show tositapahtumiin perustuvasta rakkaustarinasta.

Nuori intialainen mies, Amit, päätyy Suomeen pomonsa lähettämänä. Sopeutumisessa häntä auttaa kämppis Pappu ja suomalainen Elisa. Lopulta Amit löytää itsensä tilanteesta, jossa hänen on tehtävä valinta; seuratako sydäntä vai perinteitä.

Rooleissa:
Sudhindra B S - Amit
Ilona Kolachana - Elisa
Virpi Still - Reetta
Sivakumar Karuppusamy - Pappu
Arti Sudhindra - Amitin äiti
Mukana myös Manmeet Singh

Ohjaus: Reetta Flink
Koreografia: Sari Breilin, Bolly Beat Dancers, Parthiban Amarasigamani, Arti Sudhindra


Esityksen jälkeen on  Bollywood After Party juhla Café Caisassa alkaen klo: 22:00.
Liput ovelta käteisellä: 7€, Ek Kahani lipun kanssa 5€.

Café Caisa tarjoaa Ek Kahani näytelmän yleisölle maukkaan itämaisen illallisen (sis. kasvis ja liharuoan) klo: 18:00 - 19:00 ja 20:30 - 21:30.
Liput ovelta käteisellä: 16€ ja alle 6-vuotiaat lapset 8€.


Lisätietoja osoitteesta: ekkahani2012@gmail.com

Järj. Bolly Beat Dancers ja Bollywood Frost Entertainments

Linkit:
Kulttuurikeskus Caisa
Bolly Beat Dancers
Bollywood Frost Entertainments
Café Caisa

~*~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

Sat 15.9.2012 at 7 pm - 8:30 pm

Tickets from Tiketti: 15€ / 10 € (+ service fee), Tickets by cash at the venue  17€ / 12 € two hours before the show. Children under 6 years for free.
Language of the play: English

Caisa's hall
Mikonkatu 17 C / Vuorikatu 14, Helsinki

Love Story based on a true story - A Bollywood dance show.

Amit, an young Indian man is sent to Finland by his boss. While settling down he gets help from his roommate Pappu and a Finnish girl Elisa. Eventually Amit ends up in a situation where he has to make a difficult choice between traditions and love.

Featuring:
Sudhindra B S - Amit
Ilona Kolachana - Elisa
Virpi Still - Reetta
Sivakumar Karuppusamy - Pappu
Arti Sudhindra - Amit's mother
with Manmeet Singh

Directed by: Reetta Flink
Choreography: Sari Breilin, Bolly Beat Dancers, Parthiban Amarasigamani, Arti Sudhindra

After the show, there will be Bollywood After Party at Café Caisa, starting at 10 pm.
Tickets can be bought at the door by cash: 7€ (normal price), 5€ (with Ek Kahani ticket).

Café Caisa offers tasty oriental food (inc. vegeterian and non-vegeterian main dishes) for Ek Kahani audience at 18:00 - 19:00 and 20:30 - 21:30.
Tickets at the venue by cash: 16€ and children under 6 years 8€.

More information from: ekkahani2012@gmail.com

Org. Bolly Beat Dancers and Bollywood Frost Entertainments

Links:

Cultural Center Caisa (press in English and choose the date 15.9.)
Bolly Beat Dancers
Bollywood Frost Entertainments
Café Caisa

Rehearsals May 3rd

Men come and go but friends will always remain!

Arti: an important phone call

We're just dancing the night away

This is how you do it, baby...!

Reetta (Virpi) trying to explain Finnish customs to Pappu (Siva).

Siva & Sudhi: "You have questions about the script? I do too!"

Ilona and Sudhi showing off their moves!

"Umm... What?!"

Breaking down in tears...

Heartbroken!

"When do we get to dance?"

Sudhi concentrating on the script

"Happy Holi, man!"

Best friends forever!

Rehearsals May 3rd

Having a laugh

Rocking out!

"Bhangra, Bistar, Beer, Bater!"

 

 

Looking good

  

 

Virpi Still: "I'm about to take flight!"

Sari & the girls: Attitude!

Ilona Kolachana: Lost in the dance...

Polishing off their dance moves

Is she a girl or a swan?