Thaindian News

By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, March 23 (IANS) A large number of Lata Mangeshkar and Mohmmad Rafi’s evergreen melodies from the 1950s will be used in the Bollywood-inspired play featuring Vivek Oberoi, Isha Sharvani and Gauhar Khan at Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon, the capital’s suburban town in Haryana.

“The first half will have 11 evergreen melodies. The second-half will have 8-9 songs. We’re still looking in on the final songs. There’s dispute about some of the songs to be included,” lyricist Javed Akhtar told IANS.

The yet-to-be titled play will be staged in May at the newly constructed entertainment and leisure hotspot, and Javed says it will be unlike any thing done on stage in India so far.

“I had seen a lot of theatre, I’ve written ‘Kaifi Aur Main’. But that is not pure theatre. And besides I’ve hardly used my own words in ‘Kaifi Aur Main’. I’ve either taken excerpts from Shaukat Azmi’s book or interviews on video,” Javed Akhtar said.

“The play is unlike anything done on stage in India. The kind of facilities I was provided, it was mind-numbing. I’ve seen the theatre in Gurgaon. India has never seen anything like this. There will be horses and elephants running on and off stage,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vivek left for Delhi Friday for a month-long rehearsal with Isha and Gauhar who play the princess and the gypsy respectively fighting for his attentions.

Considering the fireworks that Gauhar generated with Shazahn Padamsee in “Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year”, there’s bound to be a lot of behind-the-curtains excitement between Gauhar and Isha.

“I guess I’m a very lucky guy. I got to woo three ladies in my new film ‘Prince’ and now these two ladies in my play. ‘Kingdom Of Dreams’ is unlike anything we’ve seen in this country,” Vivek said.