Over the last century, the sounds and melodies of Bollywood’s famous film scores have evolved considerably, but they’re as successful as ever when it comes to elevating the movie experience. They magnify drama, evoke passion and provide the perfect soundtrack to dance and sing along to. This January, Candlelight will be journeying through decades of Hindi tunes to celebrate all the magic of Bollywood.
And who better to guide audiences on this musical adventure inside Jumeirah Zabeel Saray than revered Sarangi player and singer Nabeel Khan and the magnificent Bollywood Ensemble? They’ll also be joined by Sarah Pinto’s award-winning dance crew Show Stoppers Dubai who’ll be bringing the flare and passion of Bollywood’s most extravagant dance numbers to the stage.
Candlelight: Indian Bollywood Nights
Bollywood has a rich and complex history perhaps best defined by its ever-changing musical landscape. Over the years, long soundtracks featuring up to 70 songs have been swapped out for shorter, more context-appropriate scores, and sitars and sarods have taken a back seat to make way for synthesizers and other contemporary instruments. At this Candlelight concert, scores from films such as Woh Kaun Thi? released in 1964 all the way up to 2023’s Pathaan are being performed inside Zabeel Theatre at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray to celebrate the fascinating evolution of Bollywood music.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter and Sarangi player Nabeel Khan
Grandson of the legendary Sarangi player Padhmabhushan Ustad Sabri Khan Sahab, acclaimed singer-songwriter and Sarangi player Nabeel Khan has over 15 years experience performing in cities across the world and was the proud recipient of the Excellence in Music award in Delhi in 2018. He’s also the first and only Sarangi player in the UAE to receive the Golden Visa for introducing Sarangi music to the emirates.
He’s known as much for his magnificent covers as he is for his original songs. Breathtaking performances of “Gulabi Aankhen”, “Tumhe Dillagi”, “Pehli Nazar Mein” and more led by this esteemed music maestro will transport concertgoers to famous on-screen moments from their favorite Bollywood films. Thanks to the melodies and sounds produced by Indian classical Sarangi, Indian classical tabla, keyboard, acoustic guitar and cajon box, audiences will be immersed in a rich tapestry of Bollywood music as they bathe in the enchanting glow of candlelight.
On 20 January, immerse yourself in the glow of thousands of candles and celebrate the cultural brilliance of timeless Bollywood bops at this one-of-a-kind Candlelight concert. There’ll be two concerts on the night, the first starting at 6pm and the later at 9pm. Each concert takes place over the course of 65 minutes and doors open an hour prior to the concert start time.