Aditya Chopra on backlash over casting Austin Col in DDLJ musical: ‘Conceived it as love story of white man and Indian woman’

Weeks after Aditya Chopra faced flack over casting American actor Austin Col for the role of Raj in the musical inspired Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge, the filmmaker has opened up about how before DDLJ came into being, his original idea of the story was that of a white man falling in love with an “Indian Simran”.
In a statement, he said, “I first conceived the story of DDLJ (even before it was called DDLJ) as a Hollywood love story of a white American man and an Indian woman. My main motivation at that time was to present Indian culture and values to a global audience. Years later, as I reimagine the story as a Broadway musical, my mainstay is still the same, showcasing Indian culture to a world audience. And the most powerful way to depict a country’s culture and values is to see it from the perspective of someone who does not belong to the same culture. That is the starting point of Come Fall In Love, the story of Indian Simran, her culture and heritage through the eyes of American Roger.”

Chopra also shared how, in Come Fall in Love, the musical, Simran is the central character and how she has an impact on Roger. He added, “Come Fall In Love is the story of Simran, an Indian American. She is at the center of the musical’s story, as she struggles to balance her love for Indian tradition and  her family with her love for Roger. He is a white American man who falls madly in love with Simran, and then falls in love with her culture and her country. He aspires towards India and finds a new version of himself in India’s energy, values and way of life.”

The cast of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical is officially in rehearsals! These are just some of the cast members of the stage musical adaptation of the beloved hit romantic-comedy film. Get tickets now: https://t.co/79MquqDX5Y pic.twitter.com/mG4pLyJIVK
— The Old Globe (@TheOldGlobe) July 23, 2022
He said, “I’m not directing DDLJ for Broadway. I’m adapting it as Come Fall In Love to tell the story of how powerful love is in unifying cultures, especially today. In 2022, the notion that DDLJ could be adapted to present a vision of diverse cultures coming together in a story that celebrates love and the power it has to unify everyone, moves me greatly.”
For Chopra, Come Fall in Love is his labour of love for “cultural unification”.

He said, “For me, Austin Col as Roger and Shoba Narayan as Simran are the perfect vehicles to drive home this message of cultural unification in a fragmented world. They are joined a cast, crew and creative team that represents all the extraordinary talent Indian cinema and Broadway have to offer. The representation and artry of India reverberates through every part of this production. Come Fall In Love is not only my heartfelt vision of ‘love in every colour’, as the musical’s finale puts it, but a celebration of joy, togetherness and inclusivity in a divisive and growingly toxic world of intolerance. It is also my love letter to India and the Indian heritage we carry with us wherever we may be.”
Aditya Chopra feels DDLJ has a special place in the hearts of all Indians and hoped that every Indian is proud that an adaptation of the cult classic film is Broadway-bound.
He said, “I look forward to sharing Come Fall In Love with those who cherish DDLJ and I’m also looking forward to introducing the story to audiences discovering it for the first time. I’m well aware that DDLJ has a special place for many Indians living across the world and, as its original producer and director, I’m well aware of the responsibility I have in representing India to the world. I’m grateful, humbled and excited this opportunity. Hope I see you at the theatre and we can, together, celebrate the magnetic force of love that can shatter all barriers.”
Music composers Vishal and Sheykhar have composed music for the musical.
Aditya Chopra’s Broadway-bound musical Come Fall In Love (CFIL) will open at The Old Globe, San Diego on September 14.