Stage adaptation of `Slumdog Millionaire’ in trouble

New York: A Musical stage version of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ has been completely ruined after TV mogul Paul Smith made plans to produce the show without the Oscar-winning film’s creative team, including director Danny Boyle. Now, in protest, composer A.R. Rahman has refused to let Smith use the movie’s anthem ‘Jai Ho’. Smith, who had an executive-producing credit on ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, owns screen rights to the story and recently broke off talks with Boyle over creative control of the stage version. Smith then brought in “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes to take over. Close-knit Boyle and the film’s creative team — including screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, producer Christian Colson and Rahman — have said they’ll only do the show if they can all work on it together. In the latest acrimonious twist, Rahman, who won two Oscars for the ‘Slumdog’ score and breakout song ‘Jai Ho’, won’t allow his music to be used at all unless the full original creative team is onboard. “There is an artistic picket line forming because people are surprised [Paul] would do this to Danny,” the New York Post quoted a source as saying. “The position has been clear for some time that everyone wants to be involved together, or not at all,” the source said. The 2008 hit ‘Slumdog’ brought in 338 million dollars worldwide, plus eight Oscars. And Boyle has become the toast of London’s West End for his stage production of ‘Frankenstein’. Sources claim Smith refused to make a deal guaranteeing Boyle could direct the musical, and he’s moving ahead with a new team. Sources say Boyle and his team want to distance themselves, fearing the show would be a disaster. “It is artistically ridiculous,” another source close to the project, said. “This is about money and ego. Smith feels he didn’t get the control and enough credit for the movie, so he wants it now. [But] they won’t have the original creators, writers or the song ‘Jai Ho’,” the source added. ANI