Review: Bombay Superstar is a dazzling night of Bollywood adventure on Coventry stage

Nick Le Mesurier reviews Bombay Superstar, written and directed by Samir Bhama, at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Robby Khela as Vicky, Pia Sutaria as Mala and the Bombay Superstar ensemble. Photo: Nicola YoungRobby Khela as Vicky, Pia Sutaria as Mala and the Bombay Superstar ensemble. Photo: Nicola Young
Robby Khela as Vicky, Pia Sutaria as Mala and the Bombay Superstar ensemble. Photo: Nicola Young

Bollywood, in all its glitz and glamour, its ruthlessness and greed, comes to Coventry in this dazzling new musical.

It tells the story of Leila (Nisha Aaliya), who leaves Madras for Bombay, hoping to make a name for herself in the burgeoning film industry of the 1970s. She has few resources, only enormous courage and self-belief, and an estranged father, Din Dayal (Chirag Rao) who happens to be one of the biggest directors on the scene. Trouble is, he doesn’t want to acknowledge her. Indian society, and the film industry in particular, is fiercely conservative, promoting the illusion of love-at-all-costs while actually rooted in long-standing traditions of family and marriage.

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Leila is a sort of proto-feminist. She wants to make it on her own terms, without being obliged, contractually or matrimonially, to a man. But she has a hard time. Somehow, she manages to achieve fame as an actress. She also falls in love with one of the leading men in the business, Sikandar (Rav Moore). Trouble is, he’s already married. But she also begins to attract a following of women who like her are not prepared to be dominated by men. One of those men is another Bollywood superstar, Vicky (Robby Khela), whose career is in danger of being overshadowed by Sikandar. Fuel is poured on the fires of enmity when his wife Dolly (Sheetal Pandya) takes matters into her own hands and gets the better of her man. A dreadful accident on stage, set up by Dolly, almost kills Leila, but she emerges victorious, with her public beside her, and her father acknowledging her at last. All the while, the vultures of the gossip columns, hilariously personified by Pammi, Show Biz Mummy (Amar) are circling hoping to exploit any bit of scandal.

The story is a clever, rags to riches twist on Bollywood’s traditional format, that pokes fun at it while questioning some of its values. Its high drama is akin to many of Bollywood’s spectacular romances, though this one draws upon the real-life accident suffered by Amitabh Bachchan on set in 1982, which resulted in a national outpouring of emotion, as well as many of the tropes of Bollywood glamour. But that is only part of the appeal.

Absolutely to the fore is the music, the dancing, the colour and the sheer energy of the show. It is breathtakingly enjoyable, a thrill every minute. The costumes live up to Bollywood’s standards – characters wear something different in every scene, and they are all gorgeous. The choreography is superb, performed to live music from a band tucked away beneath the stage. Many of the songs are based on popular tunes from the films and were eagerly recognised by adoring crowd.

The Belgrade has pulled out all the stops in this show and delivered something even glitzier than its Christmas pantomime – which is saying something. Superlatives fall short of the glamour and romance of this modern melodrama.

Bombay Superstar runs until October 22. Visit belgrade.co.uk to book.