People

Let’s Talk, a jukebox musical theatre held recently in Mumbai, was an effort to shed light on the subject of mental health. Written and directed by 22-year-old Mrinalini Sekhsaria Somani, the musical touched upon mental health and therapy, by following an American therapist in India who is getting ready to move back to the States.

The brainchild of the show, Mrinalini talks about the show’s production and concept. “Let’s Talk is very close to my heart. It is a subject that needs to be talked about and music is a great way to express it. The goal of the show was to start a conversation through humour and song. I have always felt that there is a gap in Mumbai when it comes to musical theatre. It hasn’t been explored in its truest form. The show was completely live, and through this production, I hope to showcase the talent and potential of Mumbai, and reach the same level of excellence as displayed in London and NYC.”

Mrinalini is no stranger to the world of music. She produced WE, a concert she had designed when in school, to help the at-risk children of Salaam Bombay Foundation. Her tryst with musical theatre had started then. “Every summer we would travel to London. As a kid, I have seen tons of shows on West End. I played the lead in the Wizard of Oz—that being my introduction to a musical. Then I joined Vassar College in New York that led me to discover my love for musical theatre. I can say that I have acted, musically directed, produced, sound designed, and been part of theatre in every way possible. I realised this was something I wanted to do going forward,” says Mrinalini who is currently pursuing master’s in musical theatre at Goldsmiths University in UK.

She shares her passion for dance and theatre with her 16-year-old sister Vaidehi, a student of Sherborne Girls’ School in UK, who has co-directed this production. “It has been an incredible experience for us. I am a musician and vocalist and my sister is a trained dancer. We both have a mutual love for theatre and that’s how we work so well as a co-directing team. I handle the music, and she checks on the choreography and movements. I think we make a great team.”

Let’s Talk had an international cast of performers and professional singers with impressive portfolios. It was a fund-raising effort for the underprivileged students of Salaam Bombay Foundation, who were a part of the show. “I have grown up around Salaam Bombay and the cause. After performing with some super-talented dancers back in 2013, we had worked in a concert called WE. It is a bond that would never have existed without the performing arts. Having worked with those students for a decade, it was natural for me to have gotten them to be a part of Let's Talk show.”

The young Marwari girl’s love for musical theatre doesn’t seem to end. “I don’t want a career outside of theatre. The goal is to produce more shows, and the dream is to someday have my own theatre and production company and to produce an internationally acclaimed show,” she concludes.