Is Kolkata going to get a Broadway-style musical? That is what the musician duo,
Sourendro Mullick
and
Soumyojit Das
, is promising to present on June 21, commemorating World Music Day. While the duo has penned the script and composed the music, the musical,
Kohinoor
, will feature members of the city’s expatriate community. Actress
Sharmila Tagore and entrepreneur
Harsh Neotia
have done voiceovers for it.
“It is a magnum opus for us,” said Soumyajit. “In the musical, we’ve captured the worldwide journey of the famed diamond, Kohinoor — from the Golconda mines in India to Persia, Afghanistan and Britain. It is a 90-minute composition,” the singer added. Since the musical has many British characters, the cast includes a number of expats, including Jay Treloar, deputy director, American Center, Kolkata, and Sybilla de Uray Ura, an Australian citizen of Hungarian origin, who has lived in Kolkata for many years. “Jay plays Lord Dalhousie and Sybilla will be seen as Queen Victoria,” said Sourendro.
Jay said, “I sang in a choir and did a bit of acting but never took part in a musical. It is a great opportunity and I am enjoying it thoroughly. I did a photoshoot with makeup on and also recorded the voiceover bit. Now the rehearsal has started and I am very excited.”
While Harsh has done the voiceover for the overall narration, Sharmila is featured as the voice of Kohinoor — the diamond that is represented as a young woman. “Sourendro and Soumyojit are very close to me. I have worked with them before. In 2014, I acted on stage as Vyasa of Mahabharata. This time, my job is simpler. I recorded the narration and it was fun,” Harsh said.
“There are almost 100 performers — 40 actors and the rest, dancers. So, it is a huge production. Kohinoor is personified by an aerial dancer, whom we chose to represent the fluidity and abstract nature of the gem,” said Sudarshan , who has choreographed the musical.
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