Bachchans to set out on global tour from July 18

Bangkok, Jun 8 (UNI) The make-believe world of celluloid magic will transcend to a new global level with the Bachchan family embarking on an ''unforgettable tour'' of interactive experience with cine fans across several continents beginning July 18 in Toronto, Canada.

''It's our way of saying thanks to the global audience for all the support they had extended to the Indian cine industry whose popularity has increased manifold the world over,'' said Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the concluding day of the IIFA Awards weekend at a press conference on the tour here today.

Mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan will lead the tour, singing songs, rendering his famous dialogues and interact with the audiences across ten cities - Toronto, Los Angeles, San Franscisco, Trinidad and Tobago, Houston, Atlantic City, New York, Vancouver, London and Amsterdam - in the first phase between July and August.

Amitabh said the tour would provide an out-of-the-world experience, an event that would leave Indian movie fans asking for more. While it would be the first major tour for Abhishek, Amitabh is a veteran of many such concerts abroad starting from his initial one way back in 1981. The legendary actor of the Indian cine world, unmindful of his age, is all set to embark on the tour, which according to Aishwarya Rai, is set to keep the momentum up for the growing popularity of Indian cinema worldwide.

The tour would not stop with America and Europe. The Bachchans would travel to West Asia, South-East Asia and Australia in two other phases up to Februry 2009, Wizcraft International Entertainment Director Sabbas Joseph said. Wizcraft has conceptualised and promoted the tour.

Apart from the Bachchan trio, the tour would also have actors Preity Zinta and Riteish Deshmukh with Akshay Kumar being a guest at the inaugural at Toronto, Madhuri Dixit joining across the United States and Shilpa Shetty as the guest at the London show on August 24.

UNI VK PK KN1459