I was actually in London buying beads for jewellery when I was asked to audition for Bombay Dreams,’’ remembers Ayesha Dharker, as she readies herself for a performance on Broadway. Things fell into place and she went on to do the London shows of Bombay Dreams and was the only member of the cast who was offered a part in the New York production after the musical closed in London.

The buzz is that the script was greatly modified for New York. “Unlike London audiences who are familiar with Hindi films, American audiences have to be initiated into the ways of Bollywood. That is why the script was adapted,” explains the effervescent daughter of Mumbai scribe, Anil Dharker.

American critics have panned the musical, describing it as ‘flat’ and ‘bland’ “We expected these kind of reviews because this is just what happened in London as well. The reviews were harsh but the audiences were appreciative. Some critics have made valid points though. Bombay Dreams is like a Mamma Mia or Wicked, it’s bold and brassy and just pure entertainment. Some reviews say it did well in London because the South Asian population supported it. But that is inaccurate; a large part of the audience was non-Indian and loved it,” says Ayesha.

So what are her plans after Bombay Dreams? “Frankly I’m allergic to long-term plans…. I would love to work in India and do more independent films there. I respect Bollywood actors but for me to do a regular masala film, the role must be interesting.”

Ayesha values Mum, Imtiaz Dharker’s opinion. “If she said that I was really bad in something I would give it serious thought,” says the actor. “There are some people in this show whose comments would make me stop and reflect.’’

She excitedly recalls how she was approached by Harry Winston to wear their jewels, a pair of diamond earrings for the launch party of Bombay Dreams in New York “I was so scared that I’d lose them!’’

INDIA ROCKS

Even people who know nothing about Indian cinema are intrigued by their three-hour crash course in Indian culture and Bollywood

Kaleidoscopes of colour, hip-jerking, adrenaline-pumping dance moves and well-toned belles gyrating to A. R. Rahman’s beat are all part of the multi-sensual, multi-visual experience that is Bombay Dreams. Fresh from its astounding success in London, the musical was perhaps the spiciest Indian flavour to hit Broadway this season. A big budget masala mix, it was nominated for the Tony Awards and the Outer Critics Circle Awards.

Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan (of Producers and Hairspray fame) have remained faithful to the foolproof recipe of a Bollywood potboiler. Akaash (Manu Narayan) is a filmi, starry-eyed, heroine-obsessed slum boy who falls in love with good girl Priya (Anita Nagarajan) who, but of course, is already engaged to the cliched greedy lawyer, Vikram (Deep Katdare). Throw in a few staple ingredients – a saintly grandmother (elegantly portrayed by Madhur Jaffrey), an overly melodramatic eunuch (Sriram Ganeshan) and an insecure Bollywood diva (played by an extremely convincing Ayesha Dharker) – and the formula for success is complete.

The magical and infectious quality of the production is just right for an evening of fantastical entertainment. Rahman’s energetic numbers – Chaiyya Chaiyya and Shakalaka Baby – combine with the fiery choreography by Farah Khan and Anthony Van Laast to make everything seem larger than life. Dances in wet saris, multicoloured water fountains, live drummers and elaborate costumes provide the Broadway appeal. It delivers what it promises. Some laughs, some tears, a few fights and a happy ending!