Musical version of Mira Nair’s ‘Monsoon Wedding’ to hit the stage in Doha

The musical version of filmmaker Mira Nair’s 2001 hit comedy-drama Monsoon Wedding will premiere in Doha on November 15, the organisers have announced. Titled Monsoon Wedding Musical, it is part of Qatar Creates’ cultural programme for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

“‘Monsoon Wedding’ is a story that inspires debate about the nature of life, identity and our place within an ever-changing world,” said Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar Creates Events, which is presenting the show.

“It will be a pleasure to welcome director Mira Nair and the talented cast to Doha to inspire a sense of joy and unity among young and old as part of our Qatar Creates programme,” she added.

Monsoon Wedding, which bagged the Golden Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival in 2001, is centred around a dysfunctional Indian family as they prepare for their daughter’s wedding. The movies featured an ensemble cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shah, and Vasundhara Das.

Mira said Monsoon Wedding Musical follows in the footsteps of the original film and strikes a beautiful balance between silence and music, darkness and joy. According to the filmmaker, the core story is about the love that “we want to understand and that we all yearn for”.

“I am deeply honoured to stage its opening performances in Doha, at a time when the country turns into a meeting spot for global culture and entertainment during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” added Mira.

Saad Al Hudaifi, executive director of Qatar Creates, said they are delighted to bring the musical production of Monsoon Wedding to Qatar audiences, especially those who love Bollywood and Indian dramas. “At once a contemporary exploration of life’s challenges and a clever social commentary on the differences between East and West, ‘Monsoon Wedding Musical’ is a unique highlight in our programme around the FIFA World Cup 2022 that is set to captivate audiences of all ages,” he said.

Monsoon Wedding Musical features a stellar Indian cast that took five years to assemble, supported by Indian composer Vishal Bhardwaj’s musical compositions, along with three hit songs from the film by Academy Award-winning composer Mychael Danna, and orchestration from the Tony Award-winning orchestrator of The Band’s Visit, Jamshied Sharifi.

Performances of Monsoon Wedding Musical will run till November 26.