Singapore swoons over Bollywood extravaganza with 'Devdas - The Musical' premiere

A grand Broadway-style production of Devdas - The Musical has just premiered in April at Singapore's Esplanade Theatre, promising to be an impressive display of music, dance, and theatre. Produced by live theatre producer AGP World in collaboration with Arte Compass and Zee TV APAC, the show features a talented cast of Indian actors, including Sunil Kumar Palwal, Aanchal Chauhan, Bhavna Pani, Jayesh Thakkar, and Smita Jaykar, in pivotal roles.

Leading the charge in this spectacular production is Toby Gough, a British theatre director, writer, actor, and teacher who has a history of creating multicultural adaptations of Shakespeare plays. With his previous experience writing The Merchants of Bollywood and Taj Express, Gough brings a wealth of knowledge as the Creative Director for Devdas - The Musical. The show will be a feast for the senses under his guidance. The musical gets its inspiration from the old-time, classic Indian love tale that has exactly the same name (Devdas), a story that was first published and appeared in the world of book lovers in 1917.

Since then, the story has been adapted many times for the screen, in different movies over time. What’s more, the story has played an essential role in the evolution of storytelling in Indian arts, captivating audiences for generations. Today, the production of Devdas is made in a way that could enchant and attract a new generation of theatre lovers, as it is a tale as old as time: all about love, loss, and life itself. What’s not to love about it?

The world premiere of "Devdas - The Musical" was a feast for the senses with its colorful and opulent sets, a fusion of Indian classical and contemporary dance styles, and a star-studded lineup of Bollywood singers. The production's artistic choreography by Devendra Singh brings a modern twist to the classic tale while retaining the essence of the timeless story of love and loss. The four shows of the musical were presented, with two shows in Hindi featuring English subtitles on Friday, 21 April, and Saturday, 22 April, and two shows in English featuring Mandarin subtitles on Saturday, 22 April, and Sunday, 23 April.

With a running time of around 2 hours and 10 minutes and a 20-minute interval, audiences have indulged in this lavish production! Located in the Marina Bay area of Singapore, the Esplanade Theatre is a one-of-a-kind performing arts center. This uniquely designed Singaporean opera house is capable of hosting a wide range of performances, from small and intimate shows to grand productions like Devdas - The Musical.