Musical on Mithun Chakraborty’s cult classic ‘Disco Dancer’ to premiere in April

Mumbai, Mar 15 (PTI) A musical stage production titled “Disco Dancer The Musical”, adapted from Mithun Chakraborty’s 1982 hit film, is all set for a grand premiere in the city next month, the organisers announced Wednesday.

The musical is being brought to India by Saregama and actor Suniel Shetty after sold-out shows at the UK’s West End last November.

A Saregama LIVE production, “Disco Dancer – The Musical” will premiere on April 14 at the NSCI dome in Mumbai. Tickets are available on BookMyShow.

The musical adapts the iconic film, which followed the rags-to-riches story of street performer Jimmy (Chakraborty), who scaled dizzying heights as a disco singer and dancer.

The film, directed by Babbar Subhash, was a musical blockbuster with its songs gaining popularity across the world. It also featured Om Puri and Rajesh Khanna in pivotal roles.

“Disco Dancer – The Musical” will also feature the late Bappi Lahiri’s chartbusters tracks in a reimagined score by Salim-Sulaiman.

The stage production is described as a celebration of Bollywood, bringing back the grandeur of the ’80s, unforgettable songs, disco style dancing and memorable dialogues for audiences of all generations to India.

Shetty, who has joined hands with Saregama to bring this venture to India, said the musical serves as a reminder to the movie industry “to not lose sight of what sets our films apart and makes them so unique”.

“Who can forget the impact ‘Disco Dancer’ had on the 80s generation? What excites me is how wonderfully this production celebrates the spirit of 80s cinema which connected with the audiences in a magical way.

“I believe this musical will appeal not just to the generation that grew up in the Disco era but also those who are now discovering the music, fashion, and entertainment trends of the 80s,” the 61-year-old actor said in a statement.

Noted music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman, who created the score for the musical, said they are looking forward to its April premiere.

“For us who grew up dancing to Bappi da’s music, reimagining his ‘Disco Dancer’ score was a matter of huge pride and joy!” Salim said.

Sulaiman added, “The range of the music we worked with was boggling. It had so many different shades. It makes you dance, cry, sing, fall in love, grieve!”

Vikram Mehra, MD Saregama India Ltd, said he hopes the musical will strike a chord with Indian audiences.

“This musical was unlike anything the UK audiences had seen. At the West End, for an Indian musical to create such frenzy was unprecedented. Along with live dancing and singing, there will also be a kaleidoscope of colour, 80’s fashion, pop culture references, and larger-than-life entertainment that one only expects from blockbuster movies.

“In India, as well, the play will offer a perfect opportunity to audiences to party with their parents and to savour the nostalgia of an era gone by,” Mehra said.