NEW YORK - For most people, going on an international tour with hours of rehearsals, a cast of more than 100, and 20 tons of props and sets may not seem like the best way for a family to bond.

But for India's first family of acting, it's been quality time the likes of which they haven't had in years.

Superstar Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek Bachchan and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, along with other Indian movie stars including Preity Zinta, Madhuri Dixit and Riteish Deshmukh have spent the past few weeks touring the United States on "The Unforgettable Tour." The production is a showcase of hit songs from India's massive film industry known as Bollywood.

Given the hectic pace of their usual filmmaking schedules, the tour has provided an unusual opportunity for them to spend some time together, Abhishek Bachchan said.

"Because of the nature of the business, there's a lot of travel involved, odd hours. There've been times we all live under the same roof but we haven't seen each other for days on end," Bachchan, 32, said. "It's wonderful ... to get an opportunity to spend six weeks on the road with the family, I don't think we've spent this amount of time and this quality of time for over 10 years together."

The tour, which started in Toronto and played a show in Trinidad before making its way to five cities around the United States, has its last U.S. date on Friday on suburban Long Island before heading off to Europe for its last three shows.

It's played at packed houses as fans eagerly came to see their favorites take the stage to perform the elaborate musical numbers that have always been an integral part of Indian movies.

Just how famous are these folk?

Well, imagine if Brad Pitt had a father who was even more famous than him. Then take that dad, add in Brad and Angelina Jolie, multiply it a couple of times, and you'd get the Bachchans.

"When we see the live audience, hear their roar, hear their appreciation, that is the incentive," Amitabh Bachchan, 65, an icon of Indian film for several decades, told The Associated Press following a press conference Thursday.

Rai Bachchan, a superstar in her own right before she married into the Bachchan clan last year, agreed.

"Every time we keep feeling like, 'Oh my God, last night's show was fabulous!' ... It has been very, very overwhelming," said the 34-year-old actress, who'll appear in the upcoming "Pink Panther 2."

Everything about the show has been massive, starting with the star power of its cast. The organizers said each performance costs about $1 million.

The show's stops in multiple countries is a testament to the appeal of Indian movies, Abhishek Bachchan said.

"I think it speaks wonderfully and gloriously for the Indian film industry," he said. "It's very heartening to know that Indian films are viewed in all these places and it's wonderful to know that you reach out to so many people and they appreciate your work."

Source: AP