By Amit Srivastava*
Mumbai: The play Rajadhiraj: Love, Life, Leela is an experience not to be missed. In this musical, which is a Broadway-style production with music, dances, and opulent sets, the journey of Krishna’s life has been presented with a good blend of spirituality and grandeur.
The play based on the life of Krishna, takes the audience on a breathtaking journey experiencing the divine play of Lord Krishna from childhood onwards to youth and eventually as the king of Dwarka or the Rajadhiraj. The beautifully clothed characters and dancers and appealing vibrant music, add to the magic and the great ambience. It is a laudable attempt by the makers of the play to venture into a lavish-scale musical based on a quintessential Indian theme.
The captivating story of Krishna is told through the eyes of a couple of characters including a little girl who acts as ‘Sutradhar’. Not only do they see the divine events unfolding in Krishna’s life from close quarters, but they are also able to participate in the joys and sorrows of the characters. Their awe, fear and excitement are amply conveyed to the audience. The drama on the stage is heightened with colourful costumes, dances and great use of audio-visual effects mixed with deft use of props and set elements. The set elements kept shifting seamlessly to constantly form a new mosaic of picturesque frames filled with colourful characters, and stunning backdrops.
Music and dances form a strong feature of the presentation of Rajadhiraj. The music and songs are vibrant, energetic very modern yet very rooted at the same time and strike a chord with the audience immediately. All the characters in the show have done live singing. The singing is top notch and the songs are soulful. Several songs stand out. The one sung by Yashoda when she misses Krishna is soulful and full of motherly love.
The production value is of the high quality. State-of-the-art technical tools and gadgets have been used. The technical team manages to seamlessly create a rich tapestry of different landscapes, cities, and ambiences with a deft mix of digital media and solid props creating real-life-like structures on stage. Mathura, Dwarka, Gokul – each landscape created on stage is unique and captivating. The beautiful landscapes created as backdrops have a mesmerising effect on the viewers as they get transported to a new world. The audience sees chariots coming in and out of the stage and life-size elephant props moving on the stage almost like real ones.
As we talk about the magnum opus of Krishna’s life, it will not be out of place to talk about the venue that is capable of hosting such plays. The Grand Theatre at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai hosted this spectacular musical play. The theatre is a first-of-its-kind Broadway-style theatre in India. It’s opulent, grand, charming and very atmospheric at the same time.
As soon as one enters from the gate, a walk through the passage with glittering glasswork on both sides and fresh, flowery intoxicating aroma soaks the person in the moment and welcomes him/her to a new experience. The main curtain at the stage is itself an elaborate stage drapery dominated by Indian motifs like peacocks, elephants, monkeys and lotus. The balcony in the theatre vies for attention with its soft glow and adds a very unique old-world charm to the place. They have a low glistening colour mix of gold, yellow orange and red. Undoubtedly, the Grand Theatre is a unique landmark in Mumbai.
However, the musical based on Krishna’s divine journey on earth is not only about a great spectacle on stage but the narration is imbued with deep philosophical insights on the way. This is possible due to a great team of creative artists joining hands to bring the life and times of Krishna on stage with aplomb. The director Omung Kumar’s hard work behind all the scenes and the well-known writer Prasoon Joshi’s efforts have made it possible to recreate tales from ancient India in such a captivating manner. Lots of detailing has gone into the costume design by Neeta Lulla. The attires of the lead characters always stand out but even the chorus has always been clothed beautifully. The production team consists of not less than 100 artists including the actors.
It must have been a humongous task to manage such a huge group of artists. The team of Shruti Sharma (director), Omung Kumar (production designer), Prasoon Joshi (writer), Sachin-Jigar (music director), Bertwin Ravi D’Souza and Shampa Gopikrishna ( Dance), have joined hands to truly create magic on stage.
Hopefully, Rajadhiraj will inspire similar productions and the Grand Theatre will be able to host more such events in future.
*The writer has also worked as an actor in the USA and India. His areas of interest include film, Yoga and literature.
Very engaging review. The colours and sound and the excitement is brought out before the reader so vividly. It appears as if we are there in the Auditorium watching the play. Looking forward for more such quality writing in future.
This article does a great job capturing the essence of Rajadhiraj, emphasizing the grandeur of the production, the seamless blending of music, dance, and storytelling, as well as the deep spiritual themes surrounding Krishna’s life. The writer’s ability to vividly describe the mesmerizing set, costumes, and technical elements transports readers, making it clear that this is a must-see theatrical experience. The attention to detail in recounting the atmosphere and performances truly showcases the writer’s skill in bringing the spectacle to life on the page.
Very beautifully expressed, the review feels like we (readers) are part of the whole process. Rajadhiraj is a popular Broadway show which is a blend of krishna’s journey. The credit definitely goes to the writers and musicians and the whole team behind this and ofcourse such article makes a grand show a little extra popular.
Very nicely written and thoroughly explained! It creates a vivid, captivating image in the mind. You can almost feel the grandeur of the production and the magic of the performances come to life. Kudos to the entire team of artists for their exceptional work, and to the author for highlighting it so beautifully.
Wonderful review! I have to say, I’m sold and eager to watch this play. I’m not particularly spiritual, but I deeply appreciate human creativity and passion. As a society, we need to channel creativity and emotions in this way more often, rather than being glued to our digital screens. On a side note, I enjoy the writer’s style; it’s captivating, eloquent, and thought-provoking. I also appreciate that this review gave me a healthy dose of vocabulary, which is often missing from the usual sub-par internet content. I am looking forward to reading more articles and reviews.
Thanks to the writer for his elaborate reviews. This paints the clear and nice pictures of the show
This article shines a well-deserved spotlight on “Rajadhiraj: Love Life Leela,” offering a compelling insight into this remarkable theatrical production. The review eloquently captures the essence of the performance.
What truly impresses about the article is its detailed appreciation of the show’s meticulous design and execution. The author’s enthusiasm for the innovative elements of the performance is palpable, making it clear that “Rajadhiraj: Love Life Leela” is not just a play but a full-blown spectacle.
Overall, the review is both informative and engaging, making it a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary theater. It effectively conveys the excitement and appeal of “Rajadhiraj: Love Life Leela,” and encourages theater-goers to experience this exceptional production for themselves.
Kudos to the writer for crafting such an engaging and informative article! Your writing style is impeccable, and your ability to capture the essence of ‘Rajadhiraj: Love, Life, Leela’ is truly commendable. Your passion for the subject shines through, making the article a joy to read.
Keep up the fantastic work!
The play ‘Rajadhiraj: Love, Life, Leela’ has been very well described. The readers can visualize as if they are watching the same.