14 April, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
As anticipation builds for the UK premiere of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, the lead stars of the production—Jena Pandya and Ashley Day—marked the beginning of their journey with a visit to Southall Gurdwaraon the auspicious festival of Baisakhi.
The duo, who play Simran and Rog respectively, sought divine blessings ahead of the show’s debut, symbolising a moment of cultural harmony and spiritual grounding at the start of this East-meets-West love story.
Directed by legendary filmmaker Aditya Chopra and produced by Yash Raj Films, Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical is a grand new English-language musical based on Chopra’s iconic 1995 Bollywood film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)—one of the most successful and longest-running titles in Indian cinema history.
Reimagined for global audiences, the musical blends the heart of Bollywood with the spectacle of Broadway and will open at the Manchester Opera House from 29 May to 21 June 2025, with its press night on Wednesday 4 June.
Set across the UK and India, the show brings to life a cross-cultural romance through 18 brand new English songs composed by renowned Indian duo Vishal Dadlani & Sheykhar Ravjiani, with Book and Lyrics by Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, Mean Girls) and choreography by Rob Ashford (Tony, Olivier and Emmy Award winner whose credits include Frozen, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway), Co-Choreography – Indian Dances by Shruti Merchant (Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl, Taj Express).
Joining the previously announced Jena Pandya (Bhangra Nation, Mamma Mia) as Simran and Ashley Day (An American in Paris, Dynasty) as Rog are Irvine Iqbal (The Father and the Assassin) as Baldev, Kara Lane (The Addams Family) as Minky, Harveen Mann-Neary (Bend It Like Beckham) as Lajjo, Amonik Melaco (Austenland) as Ben, Millie O’Connell (SIX) as Cookie, Ankur Sabharwal (Snakes and Ladders) as Ajit, Kinshuk Sen (Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical) as Kuljit, Russell Wilcox (Exit The King) as Rog Sr.
Completing the cast are ensemble members Erica-Jayne Alden (A Christmas Carol: The Musical), Tash Bacarese-Hamilton (Frankie Goes to Bollywood), Scarlett Behl (Cinderella), Sophie Camble (Singin’ in the Rain), Gabrielle Cocca (Frozen: The Musical), Rohan Dhupar (Mamma Mia!), Joe Django (All England Dance Gala), Alexander Emery (Love Never Dies), Kuldeep Goswami (Bhangra Nation), Ella Grant (Once Upon a Time Tour),
Yasmin Harrison (Burlesque), Mohit Mathur (Beyond Bollywood), Tom Mussell (Burlesque), Purvi Parmar (Little Shop of Horrors), Saaj Raja (Best of Enemies), Manu Sarswat (Cake The Musical), Garrett Tennant (Mamma Mia!), Sonya Venugopal (Life of Pi), and swings Emily Goodenough (Sunny Afternoon), Marina Lawrence-Mahrra (The Secret Silk), Jordan Maisuria-Wake (Peter Pan).
CREATIVE TEAM
Book & Lyrics – Nell Benjamin
Music – Vishal Dadlani & Sheykhar Ravjiani
Director – Aditya Chopra
Choreography – Rob Ashford
Co-Choreography (Indian Dances) – Shruti Merchant
Scenic Design – Derek McLane
Lighting Design – Japhy Weideman
Sound Design – Tony Gayle
Video Design – Akhila Krishnan
Musical Supervision and Arrangements – Ted Arthur
Musical Director – Ben Holder
CAST LIST
Simran – Jena Pandya
Rog – Ashley Day
Baldev – Irvine Iqbal
Minky – Kara Lane
Lajjo – Harveen Mann-Neary
Ben – Amonik Melaco
Cookie – Millie O’Connell
Ajit – Ankur Sabharwal
Kuljit – Kinshuk Sen
Rog Sr – Russell Wilcox
Ensemble – Erica-Jayne Alden
Ensemble – Tash Bacarese-Hamilton
Ensemble – Scarlett Behl
Ensemble – Sophie Camble
Ensemble – Gabrielle Cocca
Ensemble – Rohan Dhupar
Ensemble – Joe Django
Ensemble – Alexander Emery
Ensemble – Kuldeep Goswami
Ensemble – Ella Grant
Ensemble – Yasmin Harrison
Ensemble – Mohit Mathur
Ensemble – Tom Mussell
Ensemble – Purvi Parmar
Ensemble – Saaj Raja
Ensemble – Manu Sarswat
Ensemble – Garrett Tennant
Ensemble – Sonya Venugopal
Swing – Emily Goodenough
Swing – Marina Lawrence-Mahrra
Swing – Jordan Maisuria-Wake
