A musical theatre celebrating a big fat Indian wedding made its West End debut on Tuesday 16 July. ‘Mrs Kapoor’s Daughter’s Wedding 2 – Mauritius’ staged a one-off show at the Adelphi Theatre, in Strand, being the first-ever British Gujarati play to be run in London’s prestigious West End. Asian Voice, also became the first ever Asian newsweekly to be featured in a West End production.
The ambience was no less than a real Indian wedding, with red carpet, dhol players, dancing families and garlands that welcomed “guests” (audience) to the “Bride’s Side” and “Groom’s Side”, in a theatre that was founded in 1806, and seat upto 1500 people.
The show has been watched by 100,000 people and made four phenomenal UK tours. Though the show's dialogues have mainly been in English, a lot of what Mrs Kapoor spoke was bilingual – mixing Gujarati anecdotes and English translations.
Archana Kumar, the choreographer and visionary behind the production, expressed her excitement for showcasing British Asian culture on stage and told Asian Voice, "This production is not just a mere spectacle; it's a testament to the essence of our British Asian identity. It's about honouring our roots, embracing our traditions, and showcasing the diverse narratives that define us. Let's celebrate this proud achievement and historic event for the Gujarati community.”
Since the inception of the show, it has received widespread acclaim for its seamless integration of comedy, dance, and music, captivating audiences and establishing itself as a cultural phenomenon. Featuring relatable immersive Indian wedding rituals like the ‘vidai’ ceremony, ring ceremony, and the groom's shoe hiding ceremony, the musical not only entertained but also educated culturally.
Comedian, actor and renowned author Manoj Kerai, portrayed the character of Mrs Kapoor effortlessly. Modelled a bit like Kapil Sharma’s Show where Sunil Grover and Krushna Abhishek dress as women in comic roles- Manoj could be seen cladded in a Gujarati-styled saree with a cardigan on top, bindi and a long-hair wig. As a quintessential British Gujarati woman married to a happy-go-lucky Punjabi man, Manoj as Mrs Kapoor showcased his incredible talent in a comic role, though one wonders why a woman could not be cast in his place as Mrs Kapoor.
Kush Pattni who acted as demure yet subtly flirtatious Mr Kapoor, often outnumbered by 6 women at his household and seen reading Asian Voice with chai (tea), sitting in his living room, kept up with Manoj’s comic pace, though at times, all one could ask from him was a bit more of strength of character.
Singer and influencer Rio Jai acted as the weight pushing gym loving groom, Reeya Patel as the bride, Bhavna Patel as Mrs Kumar, while Lyca radio presenter and former Asian Voice columnist Vallisa Chauhan acted as the very efficient wedding planner, who could easily tackle bride's bickering mum (Mrs Kapoor) and mum-in-law (played by comedian and content creator Rupal Maru). Bavine Baichande dressed like Kartik Aryan from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 acted well as an ultra-modern, quirky guru come Pandit with a western swag.
The dancers who played multiple roles including Mrs Kapoor’s daughters, were brilliant. But the live singers Anjana Chauhan and Shahid Abbas Khan were off-tune and disappointing. The show, as entertaining as it was, started lagging after the 20 mins interval.
Mrs Kapoor’s Wedding 2- Mauritius, with technical direction by Hiten Kumar, has all the potential to be a regular West End popularity, drawing Bollywood fans across the world to come enjoy the cultural fest, but it would definitely demand a bit more work on the set/production, running time, direction, fine-tuning of acting and beating stereotypes.
