15 Movies We Would Like to See on Broadway

Image via Warner Brothers

9. Slumdog Millionaire

Unfortunately, I have never seen any Bollywood films, many of which I’m sure would be perfect for this list. But I have seen and love Slumdog Millionaire  and believe it would be great as a play and a way to introduce American audiences to the genre. The film was a huge success and won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, in 2008 when it was released. Using the familiar name to draw audiences in, the play could then incorporate traditional Indian dances, costumes, and set design to tell the story of a young man who competes on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

The story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) as a boy from the slums who goes on a game show with the hope of reconnecting with his true love Latika (Freida Pinto) is a standard tale for Broadway. Think of the countless underdogs we root for onstage, whether it is Alexander Hamilton from Hamilton or the entire cast (minus Benny) from Rent. Through song their stories become our stories and their struggles ones we hope they will overcome.

The music is what could set a play like Slumdog Millionaire apart. The soundtrack to the film was composed by A.R. Rahman and combined classic Indian music with hip-hop and R&B to create a new sound. It could open up an entire genre of music to a new audience. Plus just remember the closing credits to the film with the joyful performance of “Jai Ho” and picture what a full play with that energy and spirit would look like.