Webber-Produced BOMBAY DREAMS Gets Silver Screen Treatment

Variety reports today that the Andrew Lloyd Webber produced musical, Bombay Dreams, will be adapted for the screen and will shoot in India beginning in 2011.  The film will be penned by Sabrina Dhawan, best known for writing Monsoon Wedding, and feature the original music of A.R. Rahman.

Casting details will be announced at a later date. 

Marquee Picture will produce the film, a company which is uniquely dedicated to adapting Broadway and West End musicals for film. Webber's Really Useful Group will co-produce.

The Bollywood-themed stage tuner, with A.R. Rahman's music, had a two-year run in London and won two Tonys and four Drama Desk awards.

Cast has yet to be determined.

The story centers around Akaash, a young man from the slums of Bombay who dreams of becoming the next big star in Bollywood. Fate steps in when a rich pro-bono lawyer and his fiancée, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, arrive to prevent the demolition of Akaash's slum. Akaash quickly falls in love with the lawyer's fiancée, Priya, who happens to be the daughter of a famous Bollywood director, and the ticket to the top that Akaash needs. Complications arise as Akaash faces the reality of show business, fame, his love for Priya, and his obligations to his family, friends, and his Paradise slum.

Bombay Dreams has music by A. R. Rahman, lyrics by Don Black and book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan. The show premiered in the West End at the Apollo Victoria Theatre On June 19, 2002 and closed in June 2004.  The musical opened on Broadway at The Broadway Theatre On April 29, 2004 and closed on January 1, 2005 after 284 performances.