About the Founder – Rahul Chopra
Bollywood Showdown is the brainchild of Rahul Chopra — a South Asian creative, educator, and youth mentor who grew up in Aotearoa.
Rahul’s journey began as a high school dancer, where he fell in love with performance and storytelling. But growing up, he saw the lack of professional platforms that truly reflected his culture and gave young South Asians the space to lead and shine. That gap planted the seed for what would one day become Bollywood Showdown.
Now a dedicated high school teacher and youth mentor, Rahul combines his passion for education and the arts to empower the next generation of creatives. He has worked with Auckland Council and major media organisations to help deliver some of New Zealand’s biggest community events — bringing cultural vibrancy and creative vision to the mainstream.
With Bollywood Showdown, Rahul has created the platform he always wished existed — one that is youth-led, culturally grounded, and professionally ambitious.
His goal is simple: to help young people feel seen, heard, and celebrated for exactly who they are.
