Jena Pandya & Ashley Day Roped in as Leads in Aditya Chopra’s New Musical Comedy ‘Come Fall in Love - The DDLJ Musical’!

Top Theatre Actors Jena Pandya and Ashley Day will play the iconic lovers Simran and Rog (Roger) in Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, the new musical comedy based on one of the biggest blockbuster films in the history of Indian cinema, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ). DDLJ is the longest-running title in Indian cinema, playing continuously in Mumbai since its release in 1995.

Directed by Aditya Chopra, the show makes its UK premiere at Manchester Opera House on Thursday 29 May 2025, and runs until Saturday 21 June 2025.

Jena Pandya recently played the lead in the new musical Bhangra Nation at Birmingham Rep to incredible reviews. Prior to this, Jena played Sophie in Mamma Mia. Jena has worked with screen and stage director Andy Fickman multiple times, including playing Arlene in 13 Going on 30.

Ashley Day is an actor, singer, and dancer known for his leading performances in both the UK and the USA. On-screen, Ashley can be seen as a recurring character, Colin McNaughton, in the hit series Dynasty (Netflix).

Ashley’s theatre career includes leading roles such as: Bob Wallace in White Christmas (5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle); Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh); Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl (Théâtre Marigny, Paris); Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street (Theatre Royal Drury Lane, West End); Jerry Mulligan in An American in Paris (Dominion Theatre, West End); Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Kilworth House Theatre); Bill Calhoun/Lucentio in Kiss Me, Kate (National Tour); Troy Bolton in High School Musical (National Tour); and Curly in Oklahoma (National Tour), for which he received a nomination for Best Performer in a Musical at the UK Theatre Awards.

Other stage credits include: Freddie Falls in Freddie Falls in Love (Joyce Theater, New York); The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre, West End); The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium, West End); Babes in Arms (Chichester Festival Theatre); On The Town (English National Opera); Evita (Adelphi Theatre, West End); Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre, West End); and Matthew Bourne’s The Nutcracker (National Tour).

Cultures will collide in the stage musical adaptation of the beloved hit romantic-comedy film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, set to the exuberant beat of 18 all-new English songs created for the production.

The award-winning creative team for Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical includes Book and Lyrics by Nell Benjamin (Mean Girls with Tina Fey, Olivier Award winner for Legally Blonde with Laurence O’Keefe), Music by Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani (popularly called Vishal- Sheykhar in India), Choreography by Rob Ashford (Tony, Olivier, and Emmy Award winner whose credits include Frozen, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway), Co-Choreography – Indian Dances by Shruti Merchant (Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl, Taj Express), Scenic Design by Derek McLane (two-time Tony Award winner whose credits include MJ the Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Broadway and West End), Casting is by David Grindrod CDG for Grindrod Burton Casting, Lighting Design by Japhy Weideman, Sound Design by Tony Gayle, Video Design by Akhila Krishnan, the Musical Supervisor and Arranger is Ted Arthur and Musical Direction is by Ben Holder.