90 performers, one stage: Auckland to celebrate Bollywood’s golden era in 2027
Bollywood's unforgettable music of the 1990s is set to receive a distinctly New Zealand treatment, with 90 professional singers and musicians coming together for an ambitious...
Bollywood's unforgettable music of the 1990s is set to receive a distinctly New Zealand treatment, with 90 professional singers and musicians coming together for an ambitious multicultural concert in Auckland next February.
AUCKLAND, 27 September 2026: Imagine some of Bollywood's most memorable songs being performed not by one or two singers, but by a full choir, a live symphony orchestra and a contemporary band, with musicians from different cultural backgrounds sharing the same stage.
That is the vision behind New Zealand Sings Bollywood – 90s with 90, a major musical production scheduled for 27 February 2027 at Auckland's Victory Convention Centre.
The organisers describe it as the world's first multi-ethnic Bollywood choir concert, bringing together 90 professional performers to reimagine the songs that defined a generation.
The event is also being presented as a celebration of 75 years of friendship between India and New Zealand.
Bollywood classics, but not as audiences usually hear them
For many people who grew up in the 1990s, Bollywood music remains closely connected to childhood memories, family celebrations and the films they watched with friends.
The organisers want to recreate that connection while introducing something different to New Zealand audiences.
Rather than presenting a conventional Bollywood concert featuring individual singers performing familiar hits, the production will bring together multiple musical traditions.
A professional choir will sing alongside a symphony orchestra, contemporary musicians and independent artists.
The songs are being specially rearranged to accommodate the larger ensemble, creating a different musical experience from their original film recordings.
During a presentation about the project, the organisers explained that the idea grew from an interest in how Indian and Western choral traditions could come together.
Indian film music frequently features rich vocal harmonies, while Western choral performances bring multiple voices together in carefully arranged parts.
Combining those approaches with Bollywood's familiar melodies is central to the production.
The organisers say the result will be a concert that celebrates the original music while introducing audiences to new interpretations.
A multicultural cast singing Bollywood
One of the most distinctive elements of the production is the diversity of its performers.
The organisers say artists from several ethnic backgrounds will participate, including musicians with Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Brazilian and other cultural connections.
Some performers may already be familiar with Bollywood music, while others will be approaching it through their own musical traditions.
That is precisely what the organisers hope will make the concert different.
Bollywood music has long travelled beyond India through cinema, television, migration and cultural exchange.
For this production, the intention is to bring those connections together on a New Zealand stage.
The organisers describe the concert as a musical tribute from New Zealand to India, celebrating the influence of Bollywood while reflecting the multicultural character of Aotearoa.
Established New Zealand ensembles join the production
The concert will feature the Auckland Chamber Choir – Viva Voce and St Matthew's Chamber Orchestra, alongside professional singers and musicians from across New Zealand.
A contemporary live band will add another dimension to the performance.
The musical arrangements are being developed in Mumbai by Bollywood composer, arranger and music producer Lavine Da Costa.
According to the event's official website, Da Costa has worked alongside prominent Indian music composers and production teams, including Ajay–Atul, Salim–Sulaiman and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy.
His involvement is intended to help preserve the musical character of Bollywood while adapting the songs for a large choir and orchestra.
Bringing those elements together will require a different approach to rehearsal, arrangement and performance from a conventional live concert.
For audiences, the organisers hope it will offer an opportunity to hear familiar songs in an unfamiliar setting.
Three producers behind the vision
The production is being developed by Ashish Ramakrishnan, Dinesh Raniga and Basant Madhur.
Ramakrishnan is the event director and producer, leading the concept and artistic vision.
Raniga brings experience in event production, management and community engagement.
Madhur, a musician, composer and producer, contributes to the concert's musical and creative direction.
Together, they are developing a production that combines live entertainment with a wider cultural purpose.
During the project presentation, the organisers spoke about wanting to create something that audiences would remember not only for the music, but also for the people it brings together.
Their ambition is to create a concert that appeals to Bollywood fans while remaining accessible to people who may not speak Hindi or have grown up watching Indian films.
Celebrating the connection between India and New Zealand
The concert is also being positioned as a tribute to the longstanding relationship between India and New Zealand.
The organisers are marking 75 years of diplomatic and cultural ties through a production that places New Zealand musicians at the centre of a celebration of Indian cinema and music.
For New Zealand's Indian community, Bollywood songs from the 1990s carry a particular nostalgia.
But the organisers believe their appeal can extend much further.
By inviting performers from different ethnic backgrounds to interpret those songs together, the production aims to demonstrate how music can cross language and cultural boundaries.
The message is not simply that Indian music has an audience in New Zealand.
It is that New Zealand's diverse communities can participate in celebrating that music together.
Concert will also support Sistema Aotearoa
Beyond the performance itself, the organisers have identified a community initiative they want the concert to support.
Sistema Aotearoa, an Auckland-based music education programme, has been named as a beneficiary of the event.
The programme provides opportunities for children and young people to participate in music education, with a particular focus on communities that may otherwise face barriers to accessing such opportunities.
The organisers say part of the concert's proceeds will support Sistema Aotearoa.
During the presentation, they explained that supporting children's access to music was an important part of the project's wider purpose.
Their aim is to connect a major professional production with opportunities for the next generation of musicians.
The precise financial contribution has not yet been specified in the information reviewed by Webfit News.
More than a concert for the Indian community
Although Bollywood provides the musical foundation, the organisers are deliberately positioning the event as a multicultural experience.
They hope to attract people who enjoy live orchestral music, choral performances and large-scale productions, alongside audiences who already love Bollywood.
The combination of a professional choir, orchestra and contemporary band is intended to create a musical experience that does not depend entirely on familiarity with the original songs.
For those who know the music, the concert promises nostalgia.
For those hearing the songs for the first time, it offers an introduction to Bollywood through a different musical format.
The organisers have described the production as a world-first concept. That description is their claim; Webfit News has not independently established whether an equivalent concert has previously been staged elsewhere.
What is clear from the announced programme is that the Auckland event is bringing together an unusually large ensemble for a Bollywood-themed production.
Auckland show confirmed for February 2027
The concert is scheduled for Saturday, 27 February 2027, beginning at 7pm.
The venue is the Victory Convention Centre in Auckland.
Tickets are already available through the event's official website, which directs purchasers to TryBooking.
The organisers are also inviting organisations to participate through sponsorship, media partnerships and community support.
Further information about the programme and participating performers is expected as preparations continue.
A different way to experience familiar music
For the team behind New Zealand Sings Bollywood, the ambition goes beyond recreating a playlist of popular songs.
They want to take music associated with an entire generation and present it through the voices and instruments of the country they now call home.
Ninety performers from different backgrounds will share one stage, singing music that has travelled across continents and connected families and communities for decades.
Whether the audience comes for the nostalgia, the orchestral arrangements or simply the experience of seeing so many musicians perform together, the organisers hope the evening will offer something memorable.
And perhaps that is the most interesting part of the concept.
The songs may have originated in Bollywood, but the performance will belong to the many cultures and communities that make up New Zealand.
Event details
Event: New Zealand Sings Bollywood – 90s with 90 Date: Saturday, 27 February 2027 Time: 7pm Venue: Victory Convention Centre, Auckland Performers: 90 professional singers and musicians, including a live choir, symphony orchestra and contemporary band Community initiative: Supporting Sistema Aotearoa
