When I heard about Aditya Chopra’s Broadway-bound musical Come Fall In Love I was taken back to the 90’s. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge has so many memories associated with my childhood. But this Broadway musical has many firsts for India and Indians. For the first time, an Indian director, Aditya Chopra, debuts on Broadway. It is also the first Bollywood musical set to be on Broadway.
It has Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani debuting too as composers. Shruti Merchant will do her first Broadway musical as Associate Choreographer and Shoba Narayan, plays her ethnicity for the first time on the Broadway stage. On top of this, there are 16 South Asian actors who are set to debut on Broadway, a first for any musical on Broadway. The show champions diversity and every department from cast to technicians is a beautiful confluence of East and West as Indian and South Asian representation is at the heart of this show.
The musical’s lead Shoba Narayan says…
I am thrilled to be bringing Come Fall in Love to Broadway and to be playing the iconic lead role of Simran in this adaptation of the classic love story, DDLJ. The fact that we have an Indian musical headed to Broadway feels incredibly personal and monumental to me as an Indian American actor who was raised by Indian immigrant parents, and who loved Bollywood films, Broadway, and Indian fine arts.
Elaborating more about the experience she shares…
It’s a great moment of pride to see our Indian culture celebrated and represented so authentically on the world’s biggest stage. This is something I’ve spent my life and career fighting for. Hopefully, this will be the first of many.
Narrating her experience of working with an Indian crew, she says…
I feel so much pride for this big moment for India, with a Broadway debut for Aditya Chopra, Vishal & Sheykhar, Akhila Krishnan, Shruti Merchant as well as Indian Cinema and Yash Raj Films. We are here. We are seen. I couldn’t be happier. It was only a matter of time before Broadway and Bollywood found each other and I am honored to be at the helm of this moment.
The thing I loved most about Come Fall In Love is that it speaks about the need for cultural unification in a growingly divisive and toxic world. It is about the celebration of inclusivity and diversity in a world that’s getting polarized by the minute. It is about the celebration of love and how it can unify people, cultures and break down all barriers.
The musical also has 18 original English songs to treat audiences with and the makers reveal that they also have a beautiful song Love In Every Color that celebrates the theme of inclusivity through the show.
It had an opening night on September 14th to thundering positive response and it will run through October 16, 2022.