The new ‘DDLJ’ musical cast a white man as the lead – Fans aren’t happy about it

Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic Raj from the classic 1995 Bollywood movie will be renamed Rog and played by actor Austin Colby on stage this fall.

Shah Rukh Khan’s character Raj in the Hindi film “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” is as iconic as the movie itself. The funny, flirty, animated man became synonymous with romance in 1995, and the fondly nicknamed “DDLJ” has been hailed as a classic since.

That’s why Bollywood fans were disappointed when they learned that not only is the movie being redone as a musical, but Raj is being reimagined as a white man named Rog. Rog, short for Roger Mandel, will be played by actor Austin Colby in the upcoming Broadway-aimed production “Come Fall in Love — The DDLJ Musical.”

Meanwhile, Simran, the love interest originally portrayed by Bollywood actor Kajol, will keep the same name and be played by Indian American actor Shoba Narayan.

Lovers of the original “DDLJ” said they are shocked that whitewashing of characters is still happening in 2022.

“this is beyond HORRIFYING,” one person tweeted. “So broadway is adapting the iconic Bollywood movie, DDLJ into a musical and guess who they cast to play Raj… YES A WHITE MAN.”

Audience members who fell in love with Khan’s portrayal of Raj say they won’t be going to see the musical.

“I got super excited when I my friends informed that DDLJ (my fav film) was coming on Broadway.We decided to fly,” Indian chef Vikas Khanna tweeted. “Then I read that ICONIC Raj is played by Austin Colby as Rog Mandel. I might never see THIS.”

 

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