JADAR

★★★★☆

The latest musical to premiere at Manchester Opera House (the UK’s answer to La Jolla Playhouse?) is Come Fall in Love, which is based on the record-breaking Bollywood movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (aka DDLJ), which was subtitled “come… fall in love”. It is the first major Bollywood musical in over 20 years (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bombay Dreams) and is having its international premiere in the UK following its world premiere in the US.

DDLJ has been playing at Maratha Mandhir, Mumbai (Bombay was renamed Mumbai a month after its release!) since its first showing 30 years ago. It is, by far, one of the best-known Bollywood movies, making stars out of Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) and Kajol, who are two of the industry’s most successful performers. Whilst they are both Indian, their characters (Raj and Simran, respectively) are non-resident Indians living in the UK.

Aditya Chopra, who wrote and directed the film and now directs the musical, and book writer and lyricist Nell Benjamin, have brought the story into 2025, with some notable changes. Simran (a delightful Jena Pandya) is the semi-rebellious British daughter of Indian immigrants (a rigid father and mother caught in the middle); the musical explores the clash of cultures that many children of immigrants experience and is thus very relatable to British Asians.

The biggest change, however: Raj is now Rog; a rich White British man whose distant parents are divorced. The decision to make Raj was not without controversy. I, myself, had reservations, so I unashamedly began my interview with actor Ashley Day (who is very charismatic, both in and out of character) by asking him about his casting. Ashley told me that the musical wants to bring two cultures together. Having the leads come from different ethnic, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds increases the stakes, à la Romeo and Juliet. Benjamin successfully explores how the two ostensibly very different cultures have more in common than they think – but also, we can successfully coexist with different people (and opposites attract!). The movie is iconic but Chopra and Benjamin have made it more pertinent, relevant and relatable for 2025. It speaks more to British Asians, and it is also inviting of non-Asians, including White Britons.

One could criticise the storyline for perpetuating negative stereotypes about South Asians (especially arranged marriages) but that is an important plotline of the film – and we, as South Asians, need to acknowledge that it is a part of our culture, and whilst less common today, it still happens. There could, however, be more nuance around arranged and forced marriages. Rog refers to Simran as being “forced into an arranged marriage”, but forced and arranged marriages are two very different things; Simran does not appear to have much of a choice in the matter, so her marriage appears more forced. It’s not mere matchmaking; she has been betrothed since her youth. It is good, however, to see Simran stand up for her culture when White people criticise it for being conservative.

Whilst Simran’s father, Baldev, can be cold and controlling, we quickly understand his motivations and insecurities, as an immigrant living and working hard in a country that he feels does not love him. Irvine Iqbal excels at portraying a complex, multifaceted character.

His wife, Lajjo, wants her daughter to have more independence but she has been raised to respect her husband. Perhaps there could be more insight into their marriage, which was presumably arranged, and how Lajjo wants her daughter to have the freedoms that she was denied. Harveen Mann-Neary is loveable and hilarious in the role, especially when Lajjo comes into her own and shows off her feisty side – but I wish the script allowed her to stand up to her husband more.

Whilst Simran’s parents arguably care too much, Rog’s parents seem not to care enough – but both couples love and care for their children.

Rog’s father, Roger Mandel Senior (Russell Wilcox, who is excellently, comically cringe at times), similarly wants his son to have a better life and more freedom than he did – but that means partying! He is still bitter about his ex-wife’s snobbish family looking down at him. It’s a good exploration of the importance of class in this country and foreshadows Rog falling in love with a working-class girl.

His ex-wife, Minky, is a dazzling diva, like a Real Housewife. She is potrayed by Kara Lane, who is completely unrecognisable in everything I see her in – talk about range! A scene-stealer, her ‘Hot and Independent and Hot’ duet with Kuljit is incredible. Kara is very possibly younger than Ashley Day, who plays her son – which is actually quite common in Bollywood (as other Bollywood musicals have satirised).

There is a missed opportunity in not having either parent object to Rog marrying an Indian girl, which would be very likely – especially because we have an Indian objecting to his daughter marrying a White man, so the implication is that Indians are the closed-minded ones (even racially). However, we learn that Baldev has experienced hostility from White people, so his distaste with his daughter being with a White man could stem from that.

Simran’s best friend, Cookie, and Rog’s best friend, Ben, operate as foils to the leads, and they, themselves, fall in love (which is a convention of movies and musicals). Millie O’Connell and Amonik Melaco are fantastic but the characters deserved more stage time. It would have been good to explore their backgrounds more, especially as Cookie, a bit of a troublemaker, seems to come from a more liberal family than Simran, and it is suggested that Ben is not insufferably rich like Rog. To not delve into these topics more is a missed opportunity.

The core cast is rounded off with Kinshuk Sen (who starred alongside Irvine Iqbal in the original production) as Kuljit, an Indian who Simran is betrothed to, and Ankur Sabharwal as Ajit, Kuljit’s father and Baldev’s old friend. They are written with love and affection; they are part of a dated, problematic system but they are good people. Generational differences are explored here too, with Kuljit, too, seeming unhappy with the arranged marriage. Whilst his relationship with another character is hilarious, it is possibly a little troubling to have both people in the marriage fall in love with White characters – as if they want to escape their culture.

The first act is set in Europe, as the British characters go on a road trip around continental Europe. It will leave some people yearning for more Indian culture but it successfully explores what it’s like to be British Indian. The opening scene, in which Baldev remembers his life in India, and suddenly India appears around him, complete with Indian dancers, is breathtaking and heart-warming. But it is merely a glimpse of what is to come in Act 2. “Arriving in India… in 20 minutes” reads the text on the screen as Act 1 closes, building up the anticipation to the main event.

The Act 2 opener is one of the most mesmerising opening scenes that I have ever seen. Screens open up to reveal a single singer, before expanding, revealing a whole cohort of proud Indians. The number, ‘Come Fall in Love (with Punjab)’, is the only song to have been released as a single. In Act 1, there is another ‘Come Fall in Love’, as Simran leaves the UK for the first time and falls in love with European cities – it’s lovely but it pales in comparison to the Desi version, which transports the audience to India.

The score is composed by Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani (of Vishal-Sheykhar), two titans of music in India, so the sound is unsurprisingly rich, beautiful and authentic. Nell Benjamin is known for her witty lyrics in musicals such as Legally Blonde (Olivier Award winner) and Mean Girls (Tony Award nominee); here, she has written not only the lyrics but also the book itself, and she must be applauded for her handling and understanding of another culture. She has clearly done her research and worked closely with the Indian creatives. Whilst the script is very funny, there could have been some more satirical elements of Bollywood; some of the references might have gone over the heads of non-Asians but Asians would have erupted with laughter.

Rob Ashford’s choreography is as electrifying and exhilarating as one would expect from him. Co-choreography comes from Shruti Merchant, allowing authenticity in the Indian scenes; the song and dance numbers really do feel like a Bollywood film come to life.

Whilst there are likely some budget constraints (more money would have allowed for a more thrilling train but the creatives do an excellent job regardless), it does often feel like a no-expenses-spared production, which is great because nobody wants Bollywood on a budget!

Derek McLane’s scenic design is camp, colourful and vibrant; it is a theatrical showcase of Indian culture which fortunately does not feel caricaturish or fetishistic. The King and I, this is not. Linda Cho’s stunning costumes, both Western and Eastern, are a feast for the eyes. She has clearly done her research into what Indians wear and where. In a Bollywood musical, lighting is obviously very important, and Japhy Weideman enhances scenes, and even brings scenes to life, with his ambitious lighting design. His lighting transports us not merely to India but, rather, Bollywood.

Like many modern productions, Come Fall in Love employs video design, but it is only used where necessary, and it does not stand in for set but rather accentuates it. It never feels cheap. Before and after each act, a screen covers the stage, with beautiful designs and logos. There are even a couple of scenes where a transparent screen allows a real-life Baldev to feed projected pigeons – it’s very clever and creative.

Come Fall in Love is a desi-licious love letter to Bollywood and a spicy celebration of being South Asian – and British Asian.

Come Fall in Love runs at Opera House Manchester until June 21.

Photo: Johan Persson