BOLLY ILLUSION

DRAG ARTIST

Bolly Illusion is the alter-ego of Anthony Pius: a local Londoner and lifelong dancer. His drag aesthetic brings together masculine and feminine elements on stage. He also draws combined visual and musical inspiration from his British upbringing and Indian heritage.

After beginning bharatanatyam lessons at the age of only 4, Anthony moved on to performing with different Bollywood dance troupes. But it was only after taking to the stage at queer Bollywood and hip hop night Hungama, that his crossover into drag began. Bolly Illusion was finally established after Anthony was crowned the winner of London-based drag battle Lipsync1000: fuelling his now-career as an alternative drag artist. Bolly Illusion has since appeared at London venues like The Glory and Dalston Superstore, as well as at queer club nights like Hungama where it all began. As part of Bitten Peach’s pan-Asian cabaret collective, Bolly Illusion has also been writing and performing their own material: including Sindoorella, a Bollywood-inspired queer reimagining of the popular fairytale