The Old Globe, in association with Yash Raj Films, is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, which will make its debut in San Diego this fall. After the close of The Old Globe production, Yash Raj Films, India’s biggest film studio, will produce its most popular film, DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE (DDLJ as it is called throughout India) for the Broadway stage. Yes, DDLJ is coming to the boards!
Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical features direction by Aditya Chopra (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – DDLJ), choreography by Rob Ashford (Disney’s Frozen The Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boys from Syracuse), book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, Mean Girls), and music composed by the great team of Vishal Dadlani & Sheykhar Ravjiani. For The Old Globe production, the musical begins performances September 1 and runs to October 16, 2022, with the official Opening on Wednesday, September 14.
Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical is the story of Simran, a young Indian-American woman whose future is set: an arranged marriage back in India to a family friend. But when she convinces her very strict dad that she should spend a summer of freedom and fun in Europe, she falls for the charming Rog, and her careful, logical plans go out the window. Can she be true to both her heritage and her heart? Can carefree American Rog win over her traditional father? Take a whirlwind trip from Boston to Europe to India as cultures collide in the stage musical adaptation of the beloved hit romantic comedy film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
In Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, director Aditya Chopra takes a fresh and exciting new look at his landmark film, renewing it for a new generation and in a new medium. With an American audience in mind, he moves the action of the early scenes to America and not England as in the film. He focuses the story more precisely on Simran’s experience, adding gravity and power to her journey. While the original music from the film is quoted and celebrated, the musical includes 18 brand new English songs by the renowned Indian duo of Vishal and Sheykhar, who capture not only their distinctive fusion of Indian and pop musical styles, but who also integrate the famous and recognizable Broadway sound into their remarkable score. And Chopra returns to an idea that animated his earliest thinking about his story from even before he made the film, reimagining the character of Rog to reflect a more contemporary and inclusive cultural experience.
“I can’t wait for audiences to see Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical at The Old Globe with this amazing cast,” stated director Aditya Chopra. “I am thrilled to be making not only my stage debut but my American debut. Come Fall in Love with all new English songs by Indian composers Vishal & Sheykhar has allowed me to revisit my original vision for DDLJ, and share with audiences this love story between an American man and an Indian woman. Come Fall in Love is truly an expansion of the success story of DDLJ. Any lover of the film will rediscover its beauty, and the English-speaking world will fall in love with Rog, Simran, and India. Bollywood and Broadway will meet for an exciting theatrical experience.”
Chopra directs a cast of 30, which includes Shoba Narayan as Simran (Broadway’s Disney’s Aladdin as Princess Jasmine), Austin Colby as Rog Mandel (North American Tour of Disney’s Frozen the Musical as Hans, Off-Broadway’s Jersey Boys as Bob Gaudio), Irvine Iqbal as Baldev (West End’s Disney’s Aladdin as The Sultan), Rupal Pujara as Lajjo (Walnut Street Theatre’s In the Heights), Vishal Vaidya as Ajit (Encore’s Road Show), Siddharth Menon as Kuljt (India’s Disney’s Aladdin as Aladdin), Kate Loprest as Emily “Minky” Soulard (Broadway’s First Date, Hairspray), Juice Mackins as Ben (Broadway’s The Prom), Hannah Jewel Kohn as Cookie (North American Tour of Disney’s Frozen The Musical), Jeremy Kushnier as Roger Mandel, Sr. (Broadway’s Footloose as Ren McCormack, Rent as Roger Davis), Amita Batra as Ensemble (Amit Patel & Ishika Seth’s Unearthed: Untold Stories of the Ramayana), Neha Dharmapuram as Ensemble (M.S. in Marketing Intelligence from Fordham University), Tiffany Engen as Ensemble (Broadway’s Legally Blonde), Rohit Gijare as Ensemble (Bollywood Blvd at Lincoln Center), Marc Heitzman as Ensemble (Broadway’s Bandstand), Usman Ali Ishaq as Ensemble (Signature Theatre’s RENT), Nika Lindsay as Ensemble (North American Tour of Disney’s Frozen The Musical), Ilda Mason as Ensemble (West Side Story directed by Steven Spielberg), Caleb Mathura as Ensemble (Jesus Christ Superstar at Timber Lake Playhouse), Meher Mistry as Ensemble (India’s Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as Belle), Shannon Mullen as Ensemble (Broadway’s A Bronx Tale), Shahil Patel as Ensemble (Off-Broadway’s Fairycakes), Zain Patel as Ensemble (La Jolla Playhouse’s Bhangin’ It: A Bangin’ New Musical), Becca Petersen as Ensemble (Broadway’s Mean Girls), Kinshuk Sen as Ensemble (Much Ado About Nothing at UCLA’s Shakespeare Theater Company), Jack Sippel as Ensemble (Broadway’s The Prom), Michael Starr as Ensemble (First National Tour of Bright Star), Geatali Tampy as Ensemble (Bollywood Blvd at Lincoln Center), and Sonya Venugopal as Ensemble (Musical Theatreworks’ Evita.
In addition to Chopra, Ashford, Benjamin, and Dadlani & Ravjiani, the Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical creative team includes set design by Emmy and Tony Award winner Derek McLane (MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge!, Hairspray Live!), costume design by Tony Award winner Linda Cho (A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder), lighting design by five-time Tony Award nominee Japhy Wiedeman (Dear Evan Hansen, The Visit), sound design by Tony Award winner Jessica Paz (Hadestown), projection design by Akhila Krishhnan (National Theatre’s Our Generation), music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by David Holcenberg (MJ The Musical, Matilda The Musical), music direction by Ted Arthur (Broadway’s Diana), associate director Stephen Sposito (Broadway’s The Book of Mormon, Wicked), associate choreographer Shruti Merchant (Dhoom 1, 2 and 3), casting by Duncan Stewart of Stewart/Whitley Casting (Hadestown, Chicago The Musical) and Yash Raj Films casting head Shanoo Sharma (Ek Tha Tiger, Gunday, Fan), and production stage manager Anjee Nero (Almost Famous, The Heart of Rock & Roll). Adam Zotovich (The Color Purple, Dear Evan Hansen) serves as Executive Producer.
Nell Benjamin says: “DDLJ was my introduction to Indian filmmaking before I even knew who the amazing Aditya Chopra was, and the movie had such joy and heart that I fell in love with it. I was so happy to be approached to do the musical and I hope my work helps everyone fall in love with Simran and Raj and their journey across multiple cultures to love. The world can always use a little more cultural understanding, and I can’t wait to sit in a theater with an audience sharing the joy and surprise of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical.”
The family-owned Yash Raj Films is the largest film studio in India and has produced some of the biggest blockbusters of Indian Cinema. Headed by Aditya Chopra, he returns to directing for the 50th anniversary of the studio. Chopra made his film directing debut with DDLJ, which premiered in 1995 and is still running in theatres. The hit romantic comedy is the longest-running movie in Indian cinema history and one of the highest-grossing films in the history of India’s rich and diverse movie industry.
The World Premiere of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical will play on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage at the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park (1363 Old Globe Way). Performances run September 1 – October 16, 2022, with the official press opening Wednesday, September 14 at 8:00 p.m. The performance schedule is Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Note: There will be no performances on Saturday, September 24 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 8 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.TheOldGlobe.org and will go on sale by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623) and in person at the Globe’s Box Office in Balboa Park on Friday, July 15 at 12:00 p.m. Regular ticket prices start at $52. The Vicki and Carl Zeiger Insights Seminar, scheduled for Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., will provide patrons an exploration of the themes and background of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical from selected artistic company members. For additional information, visit www.TheOldGlobe.org.
“The Old Globe’s sterling reputation as a birthplace for exciting new American musicals is well known,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, “but with the world premiere of the joyous and thrilling Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, we take a bold step into the international musical theatre for the first time. A brilliant new version of one of the landmark films of Indian cinema, this charming, funny, and romantic story of love and family brings together the best of Broadway and the best of Bollywood and places them both center stage in Balboa Park. I know our audiences will find delight in this fusion of cultures, just as I find inspiration in the extraordinary artistry of the theatre makers lending their talents and imaginations to this uplifting show. Chief among them is Aditya Chopra, one of the world’s most important and impactful filmmakers. Just as his vision for the movie DDLJ brought joy to literally billions in India and around the world, so now his new musical will transport theatre audiences to a happy place where love, in every color, triumphs. I am beyond excited for San Diego to see this show!”
Are you ready to fall in love again? We sure are and cannot wait to see this prem kahani of Simran and Rog come to life on the stage!
