India’s Bollywood films are often defined by the colourful, extravagant, and elaborate dance pieces that punctuate the narrative flow. They’re often the saving grace of these overly long and dramatically wrought films. These song-and-dance numbers originated as a cultural-entertainment form integrated into the film’s story line to showcase the country’s rich dance and music heritage. Over the years, they have become a promotional and marketing tool for film producers who release music-video promos on television prior to a film’s release.

So, you ask, where do the thousands of artists billed as “background dancers” come from? Well, some of them are from right here in Metro Vancouver, where in recent years Bollywood choreographers have come to teach and recruit talented dancers who hope to become players in the world’s biggest film industry.

Among those helping to spread Bollywood’s ever-widening reach among nonresident Indians (also known as NRIs) is the husband-and-wife team of Vishal and Tania Malpuria, dancer-choreographers who have worked with Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and superstars like Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Akshay Kumar.

With more than 15 years of experience in the film industry, the couple relocated from their warm base in Mumbai to the cold climate of Edmonton, Alberta, where they have family. They teach dance classes in strict Bollywood style in both Edmonton and Calgary.

“There are lots of talented youth here, but they lack the proper training to get to the high level in Bollywood,” Vishal told the Georgia Straight during an interview at Surrey’s B.C. Bhangra Cultural Dance Studio, where he and his wife were launching their Bollywood Naach dance workshops in late March. The workshops will continue over the summer throughout Canada. “I want to build that talent base and introduce fresh choreography with a mindset and approach we have in Mumbai.”

Vishal says he is looking for students who are serious and broadminded, with a strong work ethic to hone their craft.

The ultimate goal of many students is to pursue dance and acting in Mumbai. Surrey-based actor and producer Agam Darshi (TV’s The Guard) made a short film called “Bollywood Beckons” about this very subject. The 20-minute piece is about a girl named Neeru whose family tries to dissuade her from her big-screen aspirations and live a “normal” life. Darshi says the film is a mixture of Bollywood fantasy and suburban reality.

Darshi and her business partner, Ryan Lanji, are working with local director Sophie Ann Rooney to finish postproduction on the film, which they hope to send out to festivals in the fall. Darshi also hopes to develop “Bollywood Beckons” into a feature.

“We want to create work that is risky and colourblind,” Darshi told the Georgia Straight at the recent launch of her and Lanji’s production company, Agam Productions, at a Vancouver lounge. The networking social brought out South Asian thespians Parm Soor, Nimet Kanji, and Zeena Daruwala, all of whom appeared in “Bollywood Beckons”. Also present was a local film crowd that included Vancouver filmmaker Lynne Stopkewich (Kissed, Suspicious River), and actors Sonja Bennett (Young People Fucking) and Kaleena Kiff.

“Our goal,” Darshi said, “is to bridge the gap between cultural stories and mainstream audiences.”

While Darshi is busy creating opportunities for herself and others here, foreigners who have made it in Bollywood include Katrina Kaif (Race) and Upen Patel (Namastey London) from the U.K., Zia Khan from the U.S., and Neeru Bajwa (Dil Apna Punjabi) from Surrey. (Bajwa, in fact, appeared in the 2001 NFB documentary Bollywood Bound, about four young Canadians seeking fame in India.)

Yet, as Vishal points out, foreigners who wish to succeed like these examples need to do everything that is required to make their dreams come true. They have to put in a lot of hard work and endure the heartaches that go with it. Thousands of young people from all over India go to Mumbai every month, hoping to be the next Shahrukh Khan, the current superstar who himself went to Mumbai with nothing and lived on the streets before finally getting his breakthrough role. For every Shahrukh Khan success story, however there are thousands of failed dreams. The reality is that many aspiring dancers and actors end up performing at parties, local dance competitions, and community shows.

“Everybody watches films and they say, ‘I can do that,’ ” Vishal says, “but the gap from the sofa to the screen is a big gap, and you can only get there with hard work and guidance.”