Neetu Chandra reveals how she became Umrao Jaan for her show Umrao Jaan Ada: The Westend Musical

Actress Neetu Chandra’s latest musical play ‘Umrao Jaan Ada: The Westend Musical’ has become the talk of the town, especially after its Ahmedabad premiere where it received standing ovation from the audience. The actress took over the stage as Umrao Jaan Ada and left the audience spellbound by her performance. The Kathak exponent truly mesmerised the audience, and going by how perfectly she nailed the look, posture and grace of Umrao Jaan Ada, it seems the actress didn’t leave any stone unturned to play the part to perfection.

With her perfect on-stage act as Umrao Jaan Ada, Neetu paid a tribute to the iconic character, which was previously played by Rekha and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in two different films. Neetu delved deep into the character’s psyche to deliver a portrayal that resonated as well as made the play a historic event in theatrical space.

“Umrao Jaan is a dream come true for me. The play has been a challenge, both physically and mentally. I have loved every moment of it. It took me a couple of weeks to get into the role. I followed a strict diet to ensure physical fitness along with a regular workout regime. I spent hours and hours thinking about how Umrao Jaan must have responded to certain situations to ensure authenticity and originality in my portrayal. It is one of my career’s most memorable parts. To present it live in front of an audience was thrilling, nerve-wrecking as well as a challenge. I am happy that so far the reception has been amazing,” Neetu shared.

‘Umrao Jaan Ada: The Westend Musical’  is produced by Meit Shah’s Blue Wave Events and Gravity Zero Entertainment. In India, the musical, directed by Rajeev Goswami, premiered in Ahmedabad on 9th March. The play will tour in the USA. The North American Tour will begin from New Jersey on April 12 and conclude on June 1 in Washington DC.