Bachchan to go on world tour after 25 years

Film legend Amitabh Bachchan Friday announced the launch of a world tour next year that would include his son and daughter-in-law and other leading Bollywood stars to celebrate Indian cinema and reach out to the large Indian disapora.

The world tour will be called 'The Unforgettable Tour' and will feature Big B, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Lara Dutta, Riteish Deshmukh and Bipasha Basu.

Ace dancer Shiamak Davar will choreograph the event and Vipul Shah will take care of the music during the tour. The tour that starts from April next year, will cover 18 countries of the six continents and will be staged in mainstream international venues.

Bachchan said on the second day of the ongoing International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend: "It was in 1983 that I first went on a world tour with (music directors) Kalyanji-Anandji. Then I accompanied Lataji (Lata Mangeshkar). The tour opened my eyes to the keen desire of expatriates to see us on stage.

"It's now been many years since I have been on a world tour. 'The Unforgettable Tour' is our way of thanking our fans and awarding them with power packed joint performances from the superstars of Indian cinema.

"This will offer audiences an experience to witness and relive the magic of Indian cinema in lands as far away as Switzerland, the UK, the Middle East, South Africa and the USA, among others".

Another aspect of the Bachchan-led world tour will be a television series capturing the moments of being 'on the road' with Bollywood celebrities.

Viraf Sarkari, director of Wizcraft which would promote the show globally, said: "The tour is the brainchild of Bachchan ... As in the case of IIFA, the goal here will be to promote and celebrate Indian cinema with fans across the globe.

"This promises to be one of the biggest and grandest world tours from India, bringing alive the magic of Indian cinema on stage. The concerts will be India's first ever professional product with state-of-the-art production technology".