Samir Bhamra sprinkles some Stardust on his new play

NEW theatre play Stardust is a Bollywood-inspired musical that revolves around the theme of reincarnation.

The latest production from British production company Phizzical has a multi-cultural cast and been a passion project for director Samir Bhamra, who has worked hard to bring it to the stage. Eastern Eye caught up with Samir during rehearsals to find out more...

How does Stardust compare to other plays you have done?

My past shows include an abridged version of William Shakespeare’s rarely performed late play Cymbeline, set during the 1993 Bombay riots (in the film industry), an immersive Bollywood experience where two buildings were transformed into a film studio and a Bollywood musical set along a trek to the Eastern Himalayas (much before the film Kedarnath released). Stardust is a musical thriller that presents mystical ideas around reincarnation in an almost every day realistic setting with commercial pop, r’n’b and Bollywood music. The only common thing between all these shows is the Indian film industry.

Tell us about the Stardust story...

We have used the classic reincarnation story, but revitalised it with new themes and perspectives that look at toxic patriarchy in the music industry and same-sex marriage. Amor is the Whitney Houston of Bollywood in 1989. She is silenced by her music producer husband Cyrus and reborn as Amar, a struggling singer today. Cyrus is forced to seek penance.

And the music?

Robby (Khela) has written some incredible pop and r’n’b songs and we have also included Bollywood classics with new orchestrations. Working with an entire cast of singers is an incredible experience – the voices are simply phenomenal. Music producer Devesh (Sodha) has worked hard to create modern beats to songs you’ll want to dance to, epic orchestrations and powerful ballads.

What was the biggest challenge of directing it?

Casting is the biggest challenge for any director. I always look for a talented cast who are open to collaboration. It’s a new work, so the script is constantly evolving to perfect the motivations and ensure the banter and drama is constantly surprising. With Stardust, I’ve been truly blessed with a cast who have incredible voices.

Tell us more…

There’s Nataylia Roni, who has been in works like The Lion King; Harriette Mullen from Cilla: The Musical and Amanda Clapham from Hollyoaks, alongside British Asians Robby Khela, Aizaac Sidhu and emerging powerhouse Sophie Kandola.

What is your favourite moment in the play?

There are so many! It’s a witty script even in the thrilling scenes where suspense is key. Though deep down, there is a song titled Unashamed by Robby showing a mother-son relationship that became the driving force for me to pursue developing this work.

What makes for great theatre?

Thought-provoking shows that entertain you.

What is the future plan for Phizzical?

We are supporting a range of new and emerging artists. There are two musicals – Ravi Mangat’s Sultans of Soul and Omar Khan’s British Asian Another Cousin’s Wedding. There is also Shahid Iqbal Khan’s play on racism, The Happy Hijabi, and Jay Ramanee-Murphy’s football saga The Mistry Player. I have also been working on a Bollywood dance opera since 2014.

Why should we watch Stardust?

It’s a world premiere of a musical thriller featuring a multi-racial cast and we are making history by moving the LGBTQI narrative from the British Asian perspective forward. We have tried very hard to be progressive without being preachy. People always think of Bollywood as cheesy and stereotypical, and we have always tried to present progressive themes and visuals in the show.

Stardust is on at Belgrade Theatre in Coventry from September 14-21. Visit www.belgrade.co.uk and www.phizzical.com