By Khalida Sarwari
Pssst … there’s going to be a party in the Wells Fargo parking lot on Aug. 24, and everyone is invited. And yes, your friend’s friend can come, too. Just remember to mention the secret code word: Bollywood.
This party will be thrown by community volunteers with the help of the Saratoga Village Development Council and will feature all the elements that make a real celebration: music, food, dancing and a chance to see old friends one last time before summer leaves and takes all the fun with it.
“Bollywood has become so mainstream over the years that I have lived in the Bay Area,” said Pragati Grover, a planning commissioner who is organizing this year’s event along with Tharini Chakraborty and Shalini Govil-Pai. “We are lucky to live in a community that enjoys a taste of different cultures.”
Chakraborty said the organizers’ goal this year is to get more people outside the Indian-American community involved and exposed to Bollywood dance. In the past, folks have come from Los Gatos, Cupertino and even as far as Fremont.
“It’s kind of unique,” she said. “I don’t know if there’s any other downtown Bollywood event, so this one’s pretty unique I think.”
DJ Aalok Karnik will spin tunes throughout the evening while local Bollywood instructors demonstrate scenes from popular films. Students in the Indian Cultural Awareness Club at Saratoga High School will also perform a few dance numbers.
There will be plenty of non-dancing activities, too, such as henna, as well as food and refreshments. Attendees are encouraged to dress to the nines for this event. This is the place to wear that pretty sari you bought years ago that’s now collecting dust in your closet along with its matching set of bangles.
Organizers are hoping to top last year’s attendance figure of 300. The SVDC created the event six years ago to promote downtown Saratoga businesses. Earlier this year, the city allocated $1,200 in community event grant funding to SVDC for the event.
The event is free and will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Wells Fargo parking lot at 14428 Big Basin Way in Saratoga.
