One of India's biggest and oldest entertainment extravaganza, the Rambo Circus, has been walking a tight rope for the last few months. Starved for funds and with no clarity on a future re-opening, Rambo Circus has been forced to seek aid in the form of donations and crowd funding to survive. The circus has now collaborated with digital agencies like Production Crew and Laqshya Live Experiences to take its act online. The show titled "Life is a circus – An ode to the greatest showmanship" will go live online starting September 25. CNBC-TV18 visited the circus tent at Airoli near Mumbai to catch all the action behind the scenes. (Image: AP Photo)
Rambo Circus moved to Airoli in February to set up a tent for its peak season shows which were expected to begin in March. However, the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown resulted in the circus being suspending from March 10 onward. The colourful circus ground now wears a deserted look over uncertainty following unclear government guidelines for circuses and future shows. (Image: Priya Sheth/CNBC-TV18)
The crew of Rambo Circus comprises of 100 plus artists and technical members. While those who lived in nearby areas managed to return home, others are stranded at the tent in Airoli. There are about 30 artists and 10 dogs who are staying at the makeshift tents at Airoli. They are so far surviving on donations and help from local residents. (Image: Priya Sheth/CNBC-TV18)
The yellow and blue striped tent attracted thousands of audiences during peak season. The cost for setting up tents and other overheads was around Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh. With tickets for a live show ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 350, a full-house would bring in good revenues for the circus. In this desperate situation, the circus owners have been making representations to the government for aid to save the circus. (Image: Priya Sheth/CNBC-TV18)
In this situation, the morale of artists - including clowns, jugglers and trapeze artists was low. The proposal to take the circus online has sparked renewed hope among artists. Numerous artists at the circus said that performing for the camera was tougher than performing for the audience. (Image: Priya Sheth/CNBC-TV18)
With the digital show just around the corner, artists are crossing their fingers that the online version sees good response. And, gains from these shows will perhaps help them survive till the end of the pandemic. (Image: Priya Sheth/CNBC-TV18)