New Bollywood musical Bombay Superstar to premiere in Coventry ahead of tour
Brand new Bollywood musical Bombay Superstar will open in Coventry this October ahead of a UK tour.
Award-winning Phizzical Productions have announced the world premiere of Bombay Superstar, a dazzling new Bollywood musical set in the sizzling disco era of the 1970s.
Co-produced with Belgrade Theatre Coventry and the New Wolsey Theatre, the show will receive its world premiere at Belgrade Theatre from 15 – 22 October 2022 amidst the global celebrations of the Diwali Festival of Light.
The production will then tour, visiting Hall for Cornwall, The New Wolsey Theatre, The Lowry and MAST Mayflower Studios.
Blurring the lines between reel and real-life events, this catchy retro musical is a passionate tale of a star-crossed romance between a fiery rising star and her married co-star which thrills and scandalises their star-struck fans.
Bombay Superstar is written and directed by the master of authentic Bollywood-inspired work Sâmir Bhamra (Bring on the Bollywood; Precious Bazaar), who is also the Artistic Director of Phizzical Productions.
He commented: “As a child from the VHS and Walkman generation living in Kenya, Bollywood films were more than a source of entertainment. The stories instilled a belief system, and the actors were our role models. These dynamic, melodramatic, and extravagant films were a ticket to dream and to unite South Asians globally.
“Growing up as a migrant in a working-class family in the UK, these films continued to be a compass, giving people hope to build their aspirations during unjust times. It has taken over 15 years to realise this dream production about the larger-than-life stories from the flamboyant Indian film industry and to have the courage and the belief that it can be presented on stage in a cinematic style.
“We are adorning it with iconic Bollywood hits from the 70s and 80s when a fusion of orchestral Indian music and international sounds created youthful upbeat rhythms. Infused with nostalgia, Bombay Superstar is a tribute to the grandeur, costumes, choreography, and scandalous secrets of Hindi movies for everyone to enjoy.”
Bhamra added: “The romantic tragedy between up-and-coming starlet Laila and the superstar Sikandar is fraught with obstacles.
“The audience will simultaneously be immersed in the passion between the unlikely couple between the melodious pop and disco music such as Dekha Ek Khwab and Disco Deewane, played live by our talented musicians. Packed with entertainment equivalent to a Bollywood film, it’s the perfect evening out for the family. I sincerely hope everyone enjoys it as much as we have, while creating the show.”
As part of the casting process, Phizzical Productions have partnered with SONY TV UK to reach out to communities UK-wide and unearth the next biggest Bollywood star to appear in the show.
For more information and tickets, visit phizzical.com/show/bombay-superstar/
