Mumbai: Wednesday night was the last this season for vibrant beats of dhol and rhythmic claps of garba. Looking back, this Navratri saw a subtle yet significant shift with many celebrity folk singers from Gujarat preferring Mumbai over their own top cities owing to bigger events, wider exposure and heftier fees.
With a significant Gujarati population, Mumbai over the years has spun crazily in traditional Gujarati garb. The Gujarati-dominated areas of Borivali, Kandivali and Malad have hosted mega events with crowd-pulling artists from garba-hotspots of Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Rajkot.
Earlier, the headliners that ruled Mumbai were Falguni Pathak, Parthiv Gohil and Bhoomi Trivedi. Gradually, Aishwarya Majmudar, Geetaben Rabari and Nilesh Gadhvi became crowd pleasers and moved bags and baggage.
Sources said celebrity artists charge anywhere from Rs1 crore to Rs2 crore for a nine-day event and the figures are increasing every passing year. The lesser known folk artists, on the other hand, command Rs20-45 lakh. A few of the garba organisers in the city have already started contacting widely known Gujarati artists to sign contracts for the upcoming year.
Garba princess Majmudar, who earlier performed at Ankleshwar in Gujarat shifted to Borivali in 2022. This was her third consecutive year with Rangtaali, organised by Surbhi Group, Taramati Foundation and Yash Entertainment. Her dominance over Mumbai’s garba culture is increasing every year as thousands throng to dance to her fine voice.
Rabari, who is widely popular as Kutchi Koyal, had been performing in Thane for the last three years and shifted to Borivali this year. She has replaced ‘Dandiya Queen’ Falguni Pathak by breaking the latter’s decade-long association with Showglitz, which has been organising Surbhi Navratri Mahotsav for eight years at Kora Kendra grounds.
Rabari reportedly said she was very excited to perform in Borivali for the first time. “Performing in front of over 30,000 people every night will be a dream come true, and I will give my very best to make this Navratri unforgettable for everyone,” she said.
Industry insiders said this shift is as much about economics as about exposure. Sources said that artists are not just lured by bigger, glamorous events, but also by the impressive fees that are two to three times higher than Gujarat. This becomes possible due to the corporate makeover of Mumbai’s garba ecosystem where big brands sponsor events with guest appearances by actors.
An organiser told the FPJ on condition of anonymity, “It is obvious that Mumbai pays more but it’s a win-win situation for both the artists and the organisers as they get a more diverse crowd and partnership with bigger brands even as we fulfil the demand of our customers by providing authentic garba scene.”
A Gujarat-based musician requesting anonymity said, “The latest trend is that only known names attract larger crowds for social media presence. It matters as a status symbol with a whopping entry charge.”
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