MUMBAI: Disney India is back with Aladdin their second Broadway-style musical show. The performances would begin in April 2018 where over 50 performers will present the enchanting story of Aladdin on the stage. The show would take viewers on the fun-filled adventures of Aladdin, making this musical a unique experience.

Disney India Head Live Entertainment and Local Content Studio Vikranth Pawar shared, “Firstly theatre has been very traditional and to do something like this always requires a lot of talent. The good news is that we have that and the audience is ready to enjoy this. Also, we have backend technicians, designers and singer-actors too.”

We have Broadway-style musical talent but do we have the infrastructure? “The show that you attempt to do decides where it can be done. So, there are many ways in which you can adapt to a particular venue and we work with what we have and make the best out of it. So, Beauty and the Beast was done at NSCI and Aladdin would be performed at NCPA. Every show that you make will tell the makers how best to stage and where to stage it. Sometimes it requires thinking out of the box,” explained Pawar.

The show will have a grand opening at NCPA, Mumbai, but it will soon go to different cities. “Well It depends on how the show is. Now here we have Aladdin being held at Mumbai NCPA, as they have got all the facilities, like the ‘right kind of infrastructure’. If you attempt to do it somewhere else then you have to adapt to suit to what the show requires. In terms of cities, every city has something different to offer, now the decision also lies with BookMyShow to see whether to see the audience demand in that city.”

The musical will be held in Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad. “In the last two decades Mumbai itself has been very receptive to live shows, clearly the audience demand is on the rise. People are ready to step out and experience new kind of art. They want to go beyond. Apart from that, the regional theaters in Gujarat are great.  I would say the kind of shows made in cities are as per the demand of what the audience is interested in,” stated Pawar.

Lastly, Pawar threw light on Aladdin’s reinterpretation.  “Disney’s Aladdin will be reimagined locally with an all Indian cast and creative talent. That is the perk working with Disney is that they have such a huge legacy of stories. Aladdin was also globally playing for about four years and it’s fresh and new also it has a great audience connect. Aladdin’s story has universal appeal and is popular with Indian audiences. The musical is an entertaining celebration of Aladdin’s love for Jasmine and his friendship with Genie.”