Samir Bhamra

Samir Bhamra is a Kenyan born (7 September) British-Indian playwright, producer^[1]and theatre director^[2]at Phizzical Productions.^[3] Samir works across many art forms influenced by Indian cinema. He is best known for writing and directing Precious Bazaar^[4]and directing William Shakespeare's Cymbeline^[5][6][7][8]

Film and festivals

He is the Creative Director^[9]of London Asian Film Festival organised by Tongues on Fire. As part of the 17th London Asian Film Festival, he invited Tony award nominee choreographer and Bollywood film director Farah Khan to run master classes in Choreography^[10] at Southbank Centre and Directing^[11] at School of Asian and Oriental Studies.

Musicals

His first musical was Precious Bazaar^[4][12][13] which opened in 2004 at The Y in Leicester.^[14] It launched the careers of actor Jas Binag^[15] and Bhopal: A Prayer of Rain actress Fagun Thakrar.^[16] They were among 10 talented actors and dancers who were discovered through the BollyIdol contest he developed with BBC.^[17][18][19] Eastenders actress Rakhee Thakrar played the lead role Suhani in Precious Bazaar.^[20][21][22]

Precious Bazaar was nominated for a Windrush Award in 2004.^[23]

Samir worked with actor, singer and songwriter Robby Khela^[24] in Cymbeline and previously Jean Genet's The Maids.^[25]

Theatre

In 2008, Samir directed the 1994 Pulitzer Prize nominated play A Perfect Ganesh written by Terrence McNally.^[26] He developed the ideas behind the play as part of in Residence at Haymarket Theatre.^[27]

Samir's interest in Shakespeare^[28] stems from finding how he can make the story and themes relevant to an audience who many not understand the text. During the World Shakespeare Festival, he was seconded to the Royal Shakespeare Company from the National Theatre programme Step Change.^[29] His Bollywood styled production of Cymbeline toured for 12 weeks to 22 venues in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is considered the longest theatrical tour by any British Asian theatre company.^[30] The production was reviewed several times during its tour and received many positive reviews^[31][32][33] and is of academic interest.

He has directed an adaptation of Layla and Majnun and Romeo and Juliet in 2006 titled Romeo + Laila written by UK based actor and playwright Omar Khan. He produced Omar Khan's adaptation of Twelfth Night^[34] titled What You Fancy which was directed by Leylah.

Samir is currently researching and developing a production of William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale set in Kashmir.^[35]

Dance

Samir was the first judge of the UK version of Boogie Woogie and set the judging format which was followed from 2004 to 2008.^[36][37] He was a guest judge in the preliminary stages of Just Dance with Hrithik Roshan.^{[38][39][40][41][42]}

He wrote and produced the first UK theare dance adaptation of the classic story Umrao Jaan Ada^[43] written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa in December 2014.

Visual and Digital Arts

His collaboration with Hitesh Rao and Ben-Azeera Lela for singer and songwriter Navin Kundra^[44]led to a new brand identity for the singer.

Cultural Strategy

Samir was one of many cultural leaders who developed a new cultural strategy^[45] for the City of Leicester.

Awards

Precious Bazaar was nominated for a Windrush Arts Award^[46] in 2004. Samir received two High Commendations at the 2003^[47] and 2004^[48] Windrush Awards for his pioneering work in Digital, Internet and Technology.^[4]

Personal life

His parents were of different religious backgrounds. He uses his mixed faith up-bringing to influence his artistic work.^[49]

In 2014, Samir raised funds for Macmillan Cancer^[50] in memory of his mother and grandmother by shaving his hair.

References

External links

• Samir Bhamra at Internet Movie Database.