The tech-driven musical Rajadhiraaj, staged at NMACC, brought alive mythology for the new-age audience

A larger-than-life musical

The curtain may have come down on Rajadhiraaj:Love Life Leela, but the experience lingers. The musical was as opulently conceived as the venue — Grand Theatre at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai. The 2,000 seats across three levels and the 18 exclusive boxes were packed almost through the show’s 20-day run. Inspired by the iconic Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, this incredibly huge auditorium in NMACC is one of its kind in the country to stage mammoth Indian and international productions.

Krishna’s life has been presented a zillion times, but Rajadhiraaj, with its seamless blend of the traditional and contemporary sensibilities, stirred the imagination. The integrated Dolby Atmos and programmable lighting system of the Grand Theatre and the VFX of the musical made an ancient tale come alive for the new-age audience.

As the story travelled through Mathura, Dwarka, Gokul, Vrindavan, and Mewar, popular production designer Omung Kumar transported the audience to these towns associated with Krishna. While designer Neeta Lulla, who has styled several actors, recreated the era with her costumes. Though high on bling, the attires contributed in making Rajadhiraaj a visual spectacle.

There was never a dull moment during the musical’s 120-minute duration, what with the ensemble cast keeping the stage busy with their entries and exits. However, more than the actors, the sutradhars, including a cute little girl, stole the show. Their conversational narration not just took the production forward, it helped the audience understand the connect between the two avatars of Vishnu, which ace lyricist and screenwriter Prasoon Joshi chose to highlight. The script also enlightened many in the audience about the origin of Shrinathji and how Krishna got the name Ranchoddas, the shifting of Shrinathji’s idol from Mathura to Mewar, the start of Vallabhacharya’s Pushti Marg and the creation of Dwarka.

Since Rajadhiraaj was a mega musical, there were 20 songs. Composers Sachin-Jigar seemed to have drawn inspiration from western symphony, haveli sangeet, folk music, semi-classical genres and film music. Most of the songs were accompanied by dance choreographed impeccably by Bertwin Ravi Dsouza and Shampa Gopikrishna’s (daughter of the legendary Kathak dancer Gopikrishna). The duo showcased a fine mix of Kathak, contemporary and folk movements.

Director Shruti Sharma and executive producer Bhoomi Nathwani have shown how when mythology meets technology, you can relive the era gone by.