I’m not going to bury the lead.

I’m thrilled to announce that I have been given the absolute honor of developing the Academy Award winning film, “Slumdog Millionaire,” into a musical.

To me, the brilliant film by the incomparable director Danny Boyle and genius writers Simon Beaufoy & Vikas Swarup (based on his book Q&A), with songs by the legendary A.R. Rahman, has always felt like an ideal stage property. 

It features an incredible and unique story, set in a place most audiences aren’t familiar with.  It’s a rollercoaster of drama with the highest of stakes, and I’m not talking about the Millionaire part.  And yet, it’s infused with so much love and joy that . . . well . . . it ends with them in song and dance.  Oh, and those songs!

So, of course, I’d want to develop it for the stage.  

But there is another reason I sought out this opportunity:

I first saw the film with my father, Dr. Kenny Dipchand Hasija, who was born in India in 1929 and didn’t come to the US until the 1960s.  My father didn’t speak too often of where or how he grew up.  (When we saw the film “Gandhi” together in the 80s, I had to squeeze it out of him that he saw Ghandi speak on more than one occasion.)

When the credits started to roll, so did the stories . . . stories that were filled with such love and pride of where he was from.  We spoke for hours.  It was one of the closest moments we ever had.  

Right then and there, I vowed to one day find a way to bring our Indian culture to the stage as a way to honor him and the people of Indian descent all over the world.  It was something I knew I had to do, especially since I had changed my name from Kenneth Anjum Hasija to Ken Davenport in the early 90s.  (A mentor of mine told me I “had” to, if I wanted to work on Broadway . . . which is a longer story for another time.)  

So now, to get the opportunity with that very film?  It’s beyond what I ever could have imagined when I sat with my dad that day.  And I can’t help but feel that he had a hand in this from where he is now . . . 

I must say a thank-you to Paul Smith at Celador Films, for putting up with my relentless follow-up and for entrusting me with this property, as well as the support from A.R. Rahman and everyone involved in the film. 

I vow to do everything I can to live up to and exceed the expectations for this incredible property on the stage.  My dad would want nothing less. 

I wish I could tell you that the opening night was right around the corner.  But the developmental process has only just begun. 

And, of course, follow me on my socials to get the unofficial updates.  Because if you think I talked about my other shows before, just wait until this one gets rolling. 

Instagram: @kendavenportbway

Facebook: @kendavenport

LinkedIn: @kendavenport

YouTube: @KenDavenportBway

TikTok: @kendavenportbway

 Jai Ho!

Oh, and by the way . . . Happy Diwali.  😁🇮🇳😁