Turban’d, is a dramatic story of a young Sikh boy named Kewal Singh, who leaves everything behind and goes to Mumbai, the Bollywood capital of India, chasing his dreams to become a main stream actor. An optimist and a believer in humanity, he assumes that he will be able to show his talent and will someday stand next to the biggest names in the film industry. Excited as anyone would be, his journey begins with a steep learning curve and a dedicated preparation to floor the audience with his singing, dancing and acting abilities.
Soon, the downfall sets in. Consistently being rejected, he struggles to find out the reason behind his failure and one day, the sky comes falling down and he finds out how his aesthetics and his Turban are keeping him away from all casting agents. He is advised to change the way he looks to become more acceptable according to the standards set by masses and leaves him with a terrible choice to make: The Turban - or his Dream to become a Bollywood actor.
What choice does he make? Well that’s what you will find out when you see this beautifully crafted piece of art.
When I heard about Turban’d for the first time, I had my doubts and many questions. But soon I realised that my reaction is exactly the issue that Turban’d was trying to address. Being an artist myself, I understand the problems we face when going for an audition. The struggle is real and true for all of us. This musical is about everyone who faces discrimination on any level, be it gender, color, caste, creed, religion or aesthetics. Having said that, hearing the script and the music and seeing the choreography planned, it’s exciting to finally have a production of this level originating from India. I’m very excited and eagerly waiting to book my tickets for the premiere.
About Project Creator:
Jaspreet Singh Walia, or Jazz, as most of his friends, colleagues and students call him, is one who thinks he hasn’t yet reached somewhere big in life where he can boast about himself. His work however, has had a meaningful impact in the recent past. Apart from being a talented dancer, singer and actor, he has also gained experience with handling the no-spotlight zones of stage productions. His recent exposure to Cirque du Soleil and Broadway musicals has widened the spectrum of knowledge he has and he aims to someday take an original musical production to Broadway and West End.
Jazz, hailing from New Delhi, the capital of India is humbled by his recent exposure to New York and the art that runs through every corner in this city. The story of Turban’d - The Musical, is actually very close to his heart, simply because he has faced it personally. The musical has bits and pieces of his actual experiences in life, which he is thankful for, as they have set him on this journey that he believes is his first true calling in life.
Other than putting up some beautiful renditions of Broadway musicals (Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast etc) in some of the best Indian schools, he constantly keeps himself busy with teaching as well.
“I really admire people like Waris Ahluwalia, Ravinder Singh Bhalla, Kamal Kalsi, Nav Bhatia and many more to name, who have become icons and broken stereotypes on a global level.” He understands how the showbiz industry works on the face value of people, but he also believes that talent should not suffer. “This musical is not only about people with Turbans, it’s for everyone who is thought to be different (and not in a good way) just because of their color, caste, creed or religion”.
I know jazz as a friend and colleague for over five years now. His dedication and creativity are remarkable and set him apart as an artist. I have had the pleasure to be a part of many productions in Delhi and New York with him and it’s always refreshing to see the ideas that he brings to the table. Having witnessed the magic he creates on stage, I am only waiting to be amazed by his vision in Turband, being an original musical.
Link to the Project:
