Shekhar Kapur Discloses the Origins of Musical ‘Bombay Dreams’
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Synopsis
Shekhar Kapur shares the inspiring journey of how the musical 'Bombay Dreams' came to be, stemming from a spontaneous remark to Andrew Lloyd Webber. The production, featuring A.R. Rahman’s music, follows the dreams of a young man from Bombay and highlights cultural identity.
Key Takeaways
- Bombay Dreams originated from a casual remark.
- Collaborative effort between A.R. Rahman and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- Explores the dreams and struggles of a young man in Bombay.
- Addresses the cultural shift from Bombay to Mumbai.
- Premiered in London before moving to Broadway.
Mumbai, April 1 (NationPress) Renowned director Shekhar Kapur disclosed that the Bollywood-inspired musical “Bombay Dreams” emerged from a “chance” comment made to English composer and impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Shekhar took to Instagram, sharing a photograph of himself with A.R. Rahman and Lloyd Webber. This image was captured during the global announcement of the project.
“Life has been one grand adventure. But how does one embark on an adventure without being open to the opportunities life presents? To embrace adventure, one must overcome the greatest human flaw: the craving for certainty and control…”
“Bombay Dreams was conceived from a single remark to Andrew Lloyd Webber. This picture was taken during the global announcement of the project at a celebration in Mumbai’s iconic Taj Mahal Hotel, where A R Rahman and Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborated on the same piano, improvising music in real-time… A single remark paved the way for the first ‘Bollywood’ musical on the West End in London and Broadway in New York. (sic).”
The music for “Bombay Dreams” was composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics penned by Don Black, and the book written by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan, originally produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London premiere occurred in 2002 and continued for two years, followed by a Broadway production in 2004.
The narrative of “Bombay Dreams” follows Akaash, a young man from the slums of Bombay who aspires to be the next big Bollywood star. His fate intertwines with that of a wealthy lawyer and his fiancée, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, who arrive to thwart the demolition of Akaash's slum.
Akaash develops feelings for the lawyer's fiancée, Priya, the daughter of a renowned Bollywood director. The story also addresses the transition from Bombay to Mumbai and the identity dilemmas this change brings.
