Review: Bring on the Bollywood


All the colour, energy and drama that you can expect in a Bollywood movie is brought to the New Wolsey stage in this vibrant Bollywood inspired musical from the Leicester-based Phizzical Productions.

Like most Bollywood movies this production is a love-story but it’s not all serious, there’s plenty of humour in there too.

The principal characters are Dr Katrina Pawar (played by the stunning Nisha Aaliya) and Ronny Kapoor (Robby Khela). Katrina is a doctor working in London, she loves the romance of the Bollywood movies and dreams of either starring in one or perhaps having her love life turn into one.

Katrina is returning to India her brother’s wedding and on the airplane she finds herself seated next to Ronny who is going to India clutching the ashes of a lover who he has lost.

Katrina and Ronny exchange hidden glances at each other, both secretly attracted to the other, but neither taking it further.

Arriving home Katrina’s mother still fusses around her daughter and is determined to get her married like her brother Lucky (played with some humour by recent “Let it Shine” finalist Anthony Sahota). The thing is Lucky has been mis-matched by his doting mother to a girl who he doesn’t love, and the feelings are mutual, as she too loves another but not Lucky.

There’s lots of twists and turns and a surprise finish to the first half, plus of cause those fantastic songs and dances. The dances are either full of energy or quite simply beautiful, as in the dream-like sequence at the end of the first half which caused more than one or two damp eyes amongst the audience.

If you want a fun night, a couple of hours of escapism from elections and cookery programmes you need to grab yourself a ticket to Bring on the Bollywood a hot and spicy mix of Indian culture and fun.

• Mark Keable, Ipswich24 Magazine – Pictures Nicola Young
Runs at the New Wolsey, Ipswich until Saturday 20th May and then on national tour.
New Wolsey Box Office 01473 295900
Website: www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/shows/bring-on-the-bollywood/