Musical exploring the world of Bollywood is coming to Manchester

A musical inspired by the history of Bollywood is coming to Manchester. Frankie Goes to Bollywood is the all-singing-all-dancing production that takes a deep dive into the heroes and villains of the billion-pound South Asian movie industry.

Created by Pravesh Kumar MBE who is the artistic director of the award-winning Rifco Theatre Company, the musical will have a 10-day run at HOME Manchester from Wed 15 May – Sat 25 May 2024, followed by a national tour.

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Focusing on the themes of Brits in Bollywood and those who work behind the scenes, the show is centred around a woman named Frankie thrust into the limelight of Bollywood after a chance encounter with an up-and-coming director. Frankie is cast in a movie and is immersed in the world of fame and fortune but as her celebrity begins to grow, she questions what she is willing to do, or be subjected to, for success.

Bollywood as an industry generates over £2 billion a year, and globally the films have an audience of 1.3billion. In the UK a successful Bollywood film can be expected to take as much as £4 million - so it’s little wonder that the glamorous lure of Bollywood stardom appeals to many British-South Asian young people. Frankie goes to Bollywood is inspired by the true stories of Brits in Bollywood.

Alongside a couple of very well-known British-born faces in Bollywood including Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt, there are also dozens more actors, both male and female born in Britain who have established successful careers. Frankie goes to Bollywood is inspired by many of their stories, and by Pravesh’s own experience of being a Brit in Bollywood, and by what he observed in terms of British-born women’s experience in the industry.

Pravesh Kumar, MBE, writer and director says: “Frankie goes to Bollywood’s story is about belonging. British-born South Asian people are still often seen as immigrants, even after generations in the UK.

"Working in Bollywood is sometimes seen as a kind of homecoming. But then, for Brits, the culture in Bollywood is surprising: many British Indian women who go there become newly aware of its deeply ingrained sexism.

"They have to decide how much of that disparity they can put up with. I wanted to highlight this issue, because it’s men’s responsibility to shine a light on sexism, and to call it out whenever and wherever they see it.

"I love Bollywood fiercely and this musical is a celebration of the genre, but I’m still hoping and pushing for change. I hope this show is a catalyst for improving the status of women in the industry - both behind-the-scenes and onscreen.”