Presenting an unapologetically queer extravaganza, The Bollywood Guide to Revenge is coming to Soho Theatre this April. Blending the glamorous allure of classic Bollywood with the infectious energy of disco beats, this captivating production will take audiences on a journey of redemption, love, and identity. Starring Shafeeq Shajahan (Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Soho Theatre; Clinic, Underbelly Theatre) alongside award-winning composer Vasilis Konstantinides, this camp-filled production will unleash a powerful, unapologetic Muslim narrative that will dazzle, disrupt, and captivate audiences.
Taking the audience on a journey of redemption like no other, The Bollywood Guide to Revenge will explore the men who have shaped Shafeeq Shajahan’s life, set to an enchanting soundtrack of classical Indian music, Cypriot folk rhythms and jazz standards, all infused with a modern disco beat. Throughout the show, Shafeeq weaves in poignant anecdotes from his mother’s early life, alongside his own experience as a queer person of colour in London, offering a deeply personal reflection on identity, love, and the scars that define us.
The Bollywood Guide to Revenge will share a cathartic, and humorous homage to the tenacious heroines of ’70s and ’80s Bollywood icons, who have shaped Shafeeq’s own identity. This joyous production will explore queer people, especially queer people of colour, are forced to perform and succeed in ways that defy societal norms. It will draw inspiration from Bollywood heroines and explores how the desire for revenge can be channelled into powerful, beautiful, and vital self-expression.
Shafeeq Shajahan is an award-winning South East Asian musical theatre director, writer, and composer, as well as the artistic director and founder of Liver & Lung, a British-Malaysian theatre company. Since 2014, he has won seven Malaysian national arts awards, including Best Direction and Best Original Score for Sepet The Musical. Joining him will be Vasilis Konstantinides, an award-winning composer, pianist, and music producer, whose notable work includes music direction for Cabaret at the University of Washington Drama Group, performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre, and award-winning compositions for Melur in Kuala Lumpur.
Writer and performer Shafeeq Shajahan comments, I am a proud South Asian artist. I am proud of my heritage and the music, stories and films that piece together our incredible heritage. I am also so proud of the personal work I have done to thrust these stories into the spotlight with a fresh, queer twist. The Bollywood Guide To Revenge promises to be a fun, joyous ride that celebrates the truth, divinity and beauty in us all. In an increasingly dangerous world, it’s important we remind ourselves that some things – like our stories – are absolutely worth fighting for. Join me for a night of unforgettable entertainment, where an age-old tale meets a sick disco beat. I can’t promise you vengeance, but I can offer a seductive night of powerful transformation.
