A raucous Indian wedding brass band draws the audience to their seats at St. Ann’s Warehouse, heralding the start of Monsoon Wedding. As you might expect, despite some last-minute detours and the spilling of unexpected secrets, all’s well that ends well in a swirl of marigold and crimson, exuberant dance, and the cathartic deluge promised by the title.
The stage musical is the new incarnation of Mira Nair’s 2001 movie of the same name. Nair, who also directs this eye-catching production, rose to fame in 1988 with Salaam Bombay!, an unflinching look at street kid life in Bombay. Since then, She’s enjoyed a distinguished filmmaking career with such works as Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, and Vanity Fair.
I recently spoke with Nair about the importance of bringing her most popular movie to the stage, its unique marriage of styles, and more.
It’s been more than two decades...
The stage musical is the new incarnation of Mira Nair’s 2001 movie of the same name. Nair, who also directs this eye-catching production, rose to fame in 1988 with Salaam Bombay!, an unflinching look at street kid life in Bombay. Since then, She’s enjoyed a distinguished filmmaking career with such works as Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, and Vanity Fair.
I recently spoke with Nair about the importance of bringing her most popular movie to the stage, its unique marriage of styles, and more.
It’s been more than two decades...
- 5/30/2023
- by Gerard Raymond
- Slant Magazine
With less than a week left for the opening in Doha, Qatar, of the Mira Nair-helmed musical, ‘Monsoon Wedding’, based on her iconic 2001 film, members of the cast and crew are taking to their Instagram handles to share pictures of themselves shot by Ishaan Nair (who also had a role in the film) and sharing their excitement to be a part of the FIFA World Cup fever.
The musical, its score written by acclaimed composer-director Vishal Bharadwaj, will open at the Abdul Aziz Nasser Theatre in Doha on November 15.
Namit Das, who was most recently seeing playing the shoe company executive Haresh Khanna in BBC television drama mini-series ‘The Suitable Boy’ (also directed by Mira Nair), shared the cast’s sense of anticipation when he wrote: “The countdown has begun for this ‘Monsoon Wedding’ to shower Doha, Qatar, with a dose of entertainment.”
Das plays the eccentric, marigold (‘genda’)-chewing wedding planner,...
The musical, its score written by acclaimed composer-director Vishal Bharadwaj, will open at the Abdul Aziz Nasser Theatre in Doha on November 15.
Namit Das, who was most recently seeing playing the shoe company executive Haresh Khanna in BBC television drama mini-series ‘The Suitable Boy’ (also directed by Mira Nair), shared the cast’s sense of anticipation when he wrote: “The countdown has begun for this ‘Monsoon Wedding’ to shower Doha, Qatar, with a dose of entertainment.”
Das plays the eccentric, marigold (‘genda’)-chewing wedding planner,...
- 11/9/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
The problem with only getting 1 month - 4 weeks or 5 if we're lucky - to cover an entire career is that things get left out. Movies, genres, occasionally entire decades are skipped over because (thankfully) many of the amazing female directors we discuss made more than 4 films. In the case of Mira Nair, we're skipping both movies, genres, and decades.
Between Salaam Bombay! in 1988 and Monsoon Wedding in 2001, Mira Nair honed her craft making 5 movies in different genres: a great romantic drama, a short, a Cuban-American romcom, a movie about the Kama Sutra, and a drama about Indian-Americans in the South. Nair also became a professor and Columbia, where she met the student who would eventually write Monsoon Wedding, Sabrina Dhawan. The net effect of the 13 years between her first feature and her big hit was a maturation of character as a director. The motifs Nair explored in Salaam Bombay -...
Between Salaam Bombay! in 1988 and Monsoon Wedding in 2001, Mira Nair honed her craft making 5 movies in different genres: a great romantic drama, a short, a Cuban-American romcom, a movie about the Kama Sutra, and a drama about Indian-Americans in the South. Nair also became a professor and Columbia, where she met the student who would eventually write Monsoon Wedding, Sabrina Dhawan. The net effect of the 13 years between her first feature and her big hit was a maturation of character as a director. The motifs Nair explored in Salaam Bombay -...
- 11/12/2015
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
Mira Nair ("Amelia," "Monsoon Wedding") is set to direct the crime drama "Bengali Detective" for Fox Searchlight and Scott Free.
The story focuses on an an intrepid private eye in Calcutta’s criminal underworld whose dream is to dance on Indian TV.
Sabrina Dhawan penned the script, based on Phil Cox's 2011 Sundance documentary of the same name. Michael Costigan is producing.
Source: Variety...
The story focuses on an an intrepid private eye in Calcutta’s criminal underworld whose dream is to dance on Indian TV.
Sabrina Dhawan penned the script, based on Phil Cox's 2011 Sundance documentary of the same name. Michael Costigan is producing.
Source: Variety...
- 8/9/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Mumbai Mantra|Sundance Institute Screenwriters’ Lab 2013 announced the eight fellows of the second edition of the lab on Sunday.
The creative advisers of the Lab are: Screenwriters Bill Wheeler (The Hoax, The Reluctant Fundamentalist), Anjum Rajabali (Ghulam, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Raajneeti), Malia Scotch Marmo (Hook, Jurrasic Park), Sabrina Dhawan (Monsoon Wedding, Kaminey, Ishqiya); BAFTA award winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia (The Warrior, Senna); Mexican screenwriter, director and film producer Carlos Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Solo Con Tu Pareja); Indian screenwriter and director Habib Faisal (Do Dooni Chaar, Ishaqzaade); writer-director Joshua Marston (The Forgiveness of Blood, Maria Full of Grace) and writer-producer Marti Noxon ( I Am Number Four, Fright Night).
Selected projects:
Betamax by Terrie Samundra
Betamax is set in the summer of 1976 in London on the brink of a youth uprising. The South Asian ghetto of Southall pulses with the sounds of dancehall, punk and bhangra. Gurmel, a Sikh cornershop owner,...
The creative advisers of the Lab are: Screenwriters Bill Wheeler (The Hoax, The Reluctant Fundamentalist), Anjum Rajabali (Ghulam, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Raajneeti), Malia Scotch Marmo (Hook, Jurrasic Park), Sabrina Dhawan (Monsoon Wedding, Kaminey, Ishqiya); BAFTA award winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia (The Warrior, Senna); Mexican screenwriter, director and film producer Carlos Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Solo Con Tu Pareja); Indian screenwriter and director Habib Faisal (Do Dooni Chaar, Ishaqzaade); writer-director Joshua Marston (The Forgiveness of Blood, Maria Full of Grace) and writer-producer Marti Noxon ( I Am Number Four, Fright Night).
Selected projects:
Betamax by Terrie Samundra
Betamax is set in the summer of 1976 in London on the brink of a youth uprising. The South Asian ghetto of Southall pulses with the sounds of dancehall, punk and bhangra. Gurmel, a Sikh cornershop owner,...
- 3/11/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Making an adaptation can be a longer process than a straight film and it seem that is once again true with Vishal Bharadwaj's film based on the book by Chetan Bhagat, 2 States. The film, which has Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role has been in talks for quite some. The latest update is our Bollywood Ka Baadshah and Comedy Kingpin Producer want to turn it into a bilingual aimed at the global market.
Although Chetan Bhagat was approached to write the script, Sajid Nadiadwala, producer of the film has told Times of India Chetan is not writing the script and they are looking to push the film into the worldwide realm of cinema. "Yes, we're looking at 2 States as a project with a much wider reach than our other films, as it has the potential to break through boundaries. We've got Sabrina Dhawan on board to write the screen adaptation.
Although Chetan Bhagat was approached to write the script, Sajid Nadiadwala, producer of the film has told Times of India Chetan is not writing the script and they are looking to push the film into the worldwide realm of cinema. "Yes, we're looking at 2 States as a project with a much wider reach than our other films, as it has the potential to break through boundaries. We've got Sabrina Dhawan on board to write the screen adaptation.
- 3/20/2011
- Bollyspice
Cannes -- "Bombay Dreams," the stage musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber with music from Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman, is getting the big-screen treatment via Beverly Hills-based production company Marquee Pictures.
Deepa Mehta will direct the film, Marquee's first theatrical release, from a screenplay by "Monson Wedding" writer Sabrina Dhawan.
The musical hit the London stage in 2002 and ran for two years. In 2004, it was produced on Broadway, where it picked up three Tonys.
Marquee, established with an eye toward transferring stage musicals to film, is headed by former Universal executive Jeff Segal, former Icm agent and producer Steve Waterman, Arclight Films president Gary Hamilton and Azure Media Group chairman Steve Wilkinson. Jack Crosby, former chairman of the Sundance Film Institute, serves as Marquee chairman.
The "Bombay" film adaptation will be produced in association with Webber's Really Useful Group and also is expected to take on an Indian production partner.
Principal...
Deepa Mehta will direct the film, Marquee's first theatrical release, from a screenplay by "Monson Wedding" writer Sabrina Dhawan.
The musical hit the London stage in 2002 and ran for two years. In 2004, it was produced on Broadway, where it picked up three Tonys.
Marquee, established with an eye toward transferring stage musicals to film, is headed by former Universal executive Jeff Segal, former Icm agent and producer Steve Waterman, Arclight Films president Gary Hamilton and Azure Media Group chairman Steve Wilkinson. Jack Crosby, former chairman of the Sundance Film Institute, serves as Marquee chairman.
The "Bombay" film adaptation will be produced in association with Webber's Really Useful Group and also is expected to take on an Indian production partner.
Principal...
- 5/14/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) has announced the 2010 line-up of films for its 8th annual festival, which runs April 20-April 25 at ArcLight Hollywood. The six-day festival will showcase 33 films from 5 countries, including 4 world premieres and 7 Us premieres.
“This is a true celebration of the art and business of Indian film and culture as well as an opportunity to connect with the game changers and emerging filmmakers of Indian themed content,’ said Christina Marouda, Iffla’s Executive Director. “As filmmakers of Indian descent forge new relationships in Hollywood, we invite moviegoers and industry professionals to experience our unique and wide ranging program which includes thought-provoking dramas, engaging documentaries, along with a touch of light hearted fare and a taste of Bollywood.”
Kicking off the festival is the Los Angeles premiere and directorial debut of Dilip Mehta‘s Cooking With Stella, starring Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, and Don McKellar.
“This is a true celebration of the art and business of Indian film and culture as well as an opportunity to connect with the game changers and emerging filmmakers of Indian themed content,’ said Christina Marouda, Iffla’s Executive Director. “As filmmakers of Indian descent forge new relationships in Hollywood, we invite moviegoers and industry professionals to experience our unique and wide ranging program which includes thought-provoking dramas, engaging documentaries, along with a touch of light hearted fare and a taste of Bollywood.”
Kicking off the festival is the Los Angeles premiere and directorial debut of Dilip Mehta‘s Cooking With Stella, starring Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, and Don McKellar.
- 4/1/2010
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Ishqiya’ is having an exclusive premiere screening in New York City on January 29. After garnering applauds for ‘Kaminey’ last year; Vishal Bhardwaj’s next film as a producer, ‘Ishqiya’ is indisputably the most-awaited movie of the year.
As far as the screening is concerned, a one day event apart from the screening will be held which will showcase the conversation on ‘Changing face of Women’s sexuality in South Asian Cinema’. Sabrina Dhawan (Co-writer of ‘Ishqiya’, Aseem Chhabra (Saja Board Member/ Freelance.
As far as the screening is concerned, a one day event apart from the screening will be held which will showcase the conversation on ‘Changing face of Women’s sexuality in South Asian Cinema’. Sabrina Dhawan (Co-writer of ‘Ishqiya’, Aseem Chhabra (Saja Board Member/ Freelance.
- 1/28/2010
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
New Delhi, Jan 7 (Ians) Those who enjoyed Mira Nair’s hit movie ‘Monsoon Wedding’ have something more to look forward to. The filmmaker has started working on a Broadway musical version of her film. The musical will feature an Indian cast and will combine circus acrobatics, aerial acting, theatre, music and dance.
The filmmaker said ’she was glad to be back to crossover movies after her Hollywood sojourn’.
‘The stage adaptation of ‘Monsoon Wedding’ will premiere on Broadway a year from now. I doubt whether it will be a Bollywood song-and-dance opera but we have an extraordinary project in mind. Sabrina Dhawan.
The filmmaker said ’she was glad to be back to crossover movies after her Hollywood sojourn’.
‘The stage adaptation of ‘Monsoon Wedding’ will premiere on Broadway a year from now. I doubt whether it will be a Bollywood song-and-dance opera but we have an extraordinary project in mind. Sabrina Dhawan.
- 1/7/2010
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Sabrina Dhawan, the writer of the hit Indian comedy Monsoon Wedding, has inked a deal to pen a comedy pilot for HBO, with Brad Grey TV on board to produce. Described as a darkly comic look at what it means to be American, the project, now in early stages of development, will explore the lives of Indian immigrant families as they transition from first-generation to second-generation Americans. In addition to the Mira Nair-directed Monsoon Wedding, Dhawan's credits also include the feature Saanjh -- As Night Falls, the Indian segment in the 11'09'01 -- September 11 international film project and PBS' Cosmopolitan. She recently adapted Manil Suri's novel The Death of Vishnu for Arena Pictures and is finishing her latest project for Killer Films, based on an original pitch. Dhawan has also been approached to write the Broadway musical version of Monsoon Wedding. She is repped by Brillstein-Grey's Jai Khanna and attorney James Adams.
- 1/26/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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