I walk in knowing nothing: Vishal

There are some matters that Vishal Dadlani won’t talk about, like the Pathaan track, Besharam rang, which emerged to be among the best performing songs of 2022, but was mired in controversy with fans stating that it resembled a bunch of old numbers. Then, there are matters on which he pours his heart out, like his work on the recently concluded Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge musical, Come Fall in Love, an international production that offered Dadlani, along with his long-time collaborator Sheykhar Ravjiani, a once-in-alifetime opportunity.

Considering the fact that musical adaptations of Bollywood films are a rarity, we are eager to know what transpired behind the scenes as the cult classic found a theatrical adaptation in San Deigo. Stating that the project “changed our sensibilities”, Dadlani says, “Dilwale is the fabric for modern pop culture. We worked with Nell Benjamin, who is a multi-Tony Award-winning [composer], and we learnt a lot about approaching music [from a place of] joy. [We were told to] let the lyrics speak to us, and by the end of each page, we [usually] had the song [conceived]. We got 60 standing ovations, and our crowd comprised both American viewers, and individuals who had flown from Mumbai to see it,” he relives the experience, as though it occurred yesterday.