Aadyam Theatre brings 'Mumbai Star' this June

Dance drama 'Mumbai Star' will tell a tale of dreams, determination, and destiny through a vibrant blend of storytelling, stylised movement, and musical theatre at Kamani Auditorium here on June 14-15.

The dance musical by The Dragon Rose Project, staged as part of Aditya Birla Group's Aadyam Theatre, will follow the story of Dev, a young dancer from a coastal village in Maharashtra, who arrives in Mumbai with little more than his mother's dream and a burning passion to make it big.

As Dev auditions for 'Mumbai Star' dance competition, what unfolds is a transformative journey through ambition and heartbreak, the glitter of fame and its shadows - and a powerful relationship with a mentor who becomes his moral compass.

The show will feature a 19-track original score - eight songs and 11 instrumental pieces - that merge dance anthems, romantic ballads, kathak-influenced dance pieces, and the flavour of rap/hip-hop. The songs have been written by Ishitta Arun and composed by Dhruv Ghanekar.

While the studio version features celebrated artists like Sunidhi Chauhan, Nakash Aziz, Kunal Ganjawala, Ravi Chary, and Stony Psyko, on stage, the songs are performed by dancers and ensemble, including Avenav Mukherjee, Abhishek Choksi, Arushi Nigam, and Jayesh Sarange.

Originally written and conceptualised by Devika Shahani's The Dragon Rose Project for the Tokyo-based Min-On Concert Association, the script has been re-imagined by Akarsh Khurana and Arghya Lahiri.

"Mumbai Star is very close to my heart. It is a universal story about one of the most important relationships of our lives-the guru and shishya. The seed of this subject germinated from my determination to present the dynamic between mentor and disciple through music and dance. Aadyam is taking a new and bold step in this different storytelling form. I am grateful to be able to tell this story, my third production with Aadyam, and an ode to my mentor on this beautiful stage," Shahani said in a statement.

The dance musical has been directed by Nadir Khan and choreographed by Avantika Bahl while seasoned actors Rajit Kapur and Srishti Shrivastava narrate and guide the story.

"'Mumbai Star', celebrates dance -- both modern and traditional -- and dancers themselves, as individuals and a collective. All while rooting itself in a compelling theatrical narrative that weaves different styles of storytelling together - music, movement and theatre.

"We are very hopeful that with this small step, the dance industry will have one more avenue that will allow it to continue to innovate, grow and contribute to the rich and diverse landscape of the performing arts we love so much,” Khan said.