Guest Blog: 'New British Musicals Are Rare, Brown-Led Ones Are Even Rarer': Writer Pravesh Kumar on FRANKIE GOES TO BOLLYWOOD

I've been creating British-South-Asian-focused theatre for two decades, and my theatre company, Rifco, has had real success across the country, bringing in thousands of new audience members who would have come to the theatre for the first time to that show.

Bollywood is one of India's most popular cultural exports. About 1.38 billion people worldwide watch Bollywood films, making them some of the most popular musicals worldwide. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for a British South Asian theatre company like ours to create a stage musical based on the genre. 

While living in Mumbai in the early 2000s and working in the Bollywood industry, I was captivated by its glamour and sparkle. I grew up watching these films and it was the first time I saw someone who looked like me on a screen, and I was captivated.  However, working there made me realise that there were issues beneath the surface. Like many countries, India has a patriarchal system that seeps into the film industry, with men predominantly making the films for themselves and women being wholly overlooked.

There have been a few Bollywood musicals, but I didn't want to create just another one for the stage. Instead, I aimed to create something original that sheds light on the challenges faced in the industry and the exploitation of young people and women. As artists, it’s our job to shine a spotlight on society and hold up a mirror.

Having grown up watching Bollywood films, I felt that they were home to me. I believe their immense popularity stems from representing something right, much like one of my characters in the script says, ‘In a country where we still marry strangers, people come to films and fall in love with us.’

However, as with all popular culture, we have a responsibility to consider how characters are portrayed and how this might influence our society. It's important to distinguish between Indian cinema and Bollywood, the commercial film industry, as they are distinct. The Bollywood industry has real issues with patriarchy and misogyny, with middle-aged men often romantically paired with significantly younger women on screen.

Creating a musical was a natural fit for Bollywood, with its emphasis on song and dance. I began the journey by interviewing friends and colleagues still working in the industry, drawing inspiration from their real stories and experiences.  

I aimed to create an authentic British South Asian musical, working with a talented British Asian composer, Niraj Chag, and the incredible songwriter, Tasha Taylor Johnson. We spent years crafting the musical, even refining it over Zoom during the Covid pandemic. Developing a musical is challenging, with multiple elements such as story, lyrics, music, set design, costumes, and lighting needing to come together seamlessly in some magic alchemy. After numerous workshops and readings, we started to assemble the draft and dared to dream that it would ever hit the stage.

New British musicals are rare, and Brown-led ones are even rarer.

The emotional and financial investment required to create something of polish is complex, and it's a lengthy process. When we started the process, none of the writers had children, and now Niraj and I have 5-year-olds, and Tasha has two babies! That’s how long it takes me to write a new musical.

Our musical, Frankie Goes to Bollywood, has finally hit the stage, and it's truly a labour of love for us. The costume design and movement direction by Andy Kumar bring the essential kaleidoscope of Bollywood to life. The epic set design by Rebecca Brower and the dazzling lighting design by Phil Gladwell all marries with the impeccable sound design by Chris Murray, creating a unique, vibrant British Bollywood experience on stage.

Creating such a show is tough, especially in a theatre landscape that hesitates to take risks. However, the real danger lies in ignoring new audiences seeking authentic representation and unique theatrical experiences. Frankie Goes to Bollywood has not only attracted new South Asian audiences but has also crossed cultural boundaries for people seeking real, diverse Britain on stage.

We have now transferred to the Southbank Centre, London, after an enormously successful tour. Audiences all over the country have loved it, and I hope that London, too, will welcome us with open arms and hearts.

Frankie Goes to Bollywood is at the Southbank Centre until 18 August

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