Akshay back with Bachchans!

By Subhash K Jha

Lara Dutta, for whatever reasons has opted out of the Bachchans' Unforgettable world concerts in July and August.

But the show's organizers Wizcraft are now in the process of finalizing 7-8 of the biggest A-listers from Bollywood who would accompany the Bachchans at various venues in variable combinations and permutations.

In fact Akshay Kumar who had opted out due to time constraints has decided to join the Bachchans for the concerts, though selectively.

Says a source very close to the concerts, "Akshay is back in the Bachchans' world tour. But he'll join them only at selected venues because that's all Akshay's schedules allow.

Likewise at other centers we're roping in other A-listers who will join the Bachchans as they perform all over the US and later Europe.

In this way there would be a couple of big surprise guest appearances by marquee names in every city, though rightly the focus of interest would remain the Bachchan family."

Some of the hugest names from Bollywood would now join the Bachchans on the concert.

Not just that, Vishal- Shekhar have been confirmed as a part of the tour. They'll be accompanying the Bachchans' for all their concerts, just like decades ago Kalyanji-Anandji used to be an integral part of the Big B's concerts three decades ago.

In fact—and here comes the biggest whammy of them all—the album featuring Abhishek Bachchan and guest vocals by the Big B that Vishal-Shekhar have been putting together for the last two years will finally be ready to coincide with the Bachchans' world concerts.

Says the source, "There's a concerted effort in a small section of the industry to play down the importance of the Bachchans' concert.

But like it not The Big B, Aishwarya and Abhishek together is a huge event. And now with them roping in a section of the biggest stars, these concerts are unstoppable."