After opening in its namesake city last month, dance drama Mumbai Star is all set to light up Delhi on June 14 and 15, as part of the seventh season of Aadyam Theatre. Directed by Nadir Khan, choreographed by Avantika Bahl, and produced by The Dragon Rose Project, Mumbai Star isn’t just a musical. It’s a celebration of the dreams we chase, the mentors who guide us, and the city that dares us to shine.
“Aadyam Theatre has been both a school and a playground for me,” says Khan, who has helmed multiple ambitious productions under its banner. “But this one was different. Telling a story primarily through dance was a new kind of challenge—and opportunity.” When Khan was brought on by original writer and producer Devika Shahani, the script and some of the music were already taking shape. “What I did was bring a broader vision to how it could all come together—organically and powerfully,” Khan tells FE.
At the heart of Mumbai Star is Dev, a young man from a coastal Maharashtrian village who arrives in Mumbai with only his mother’s dream and a fierce passion to dance. He auditions for the titular dance competition—a fictional show within the musical—and is soon swept into a world of fame, heartbreak, mentorship, and self-discovery. The production unfolds as a narrative told through stylised movement, powerful music, and vivid theatrical imagery.
Shahani, who describes the show as “an ode to my mentor”, conceived the story as an exploration of the guru-shishya relationship. “It’s one of the most formative relationships in Indian culture,” she says, and she “wanted to explore that through a contemporary lens, using music and dance as the language.”
The result is a dazzling tapestry of choreography by Bahl, along with celebrated guest choreographers like Vidushi Uma Dogra, Krutika Mehta and Vivaran Dhasmana. These diverse influences create a visual feast—one where classical forms like kathak blend seamlessly with hip-hop and contemporary dance.
The show’s 19-track original score, composed by Dhruv Ghanekar with lyrics by Ishitta Arun, carries just as much weight. “Dhruv’s music is so evocative—it barely needed input,” Khan explains. “There were moments when we’d request a shift in tempo or mood to support a dramatic beat, but Dhruv just instinctively knew how to land the emotion.” With voices like Sunidhi Chauhan, Nakash Aziz and Kunal Ganjawala on the studio tracks, and a cast of powerhouse dancers delivering live renditions on stage, the music becomes a kinetic force in itself.
Anchoring the narrative are seasoned performers Rajit Kapur and Srishti Shrivastava, who guide audiences through Dev’s journey, while the ensemble—featuring names like Avenav Mukherjee, Arushi Nigam, Abhishek Choksi—bring explosive energy and nuance to every sequence.
For Khan, the joy is in seeing audiences connect. “It’s a simple story, told with soul and energy,” he says. “There’s superb music, amazing dancing—and it’s just a great evening out, even for kids. But I also hope it makes people appreciate dance as an art form. It’s high in technique and complexity, but incredibly accessible.”
“Musicals in India are still growing,” Khan admits. “While Mumbai Star is a large-scale production, it is also fairly simple to execute and has been designed keeping the future in mind in terms of a further life of the show… I hope it inspires more creators to take the leap into this genre with original work,” he adds.
From its origins as a collaboration with the Min-On Concert Association in Tokyo to its staging under The Dragon Rose Project, Mumbai Star is emblematic of what’s possible when Indian creators dream boldly —and dance their way there. In its rhythm, its drama, and its sheer exuberance, the show captures the spirit of Mumbai itself —chaotic, charismatic, and always in motion.
