Samir Bhamra

Samir Bhamra is an award winning Kenyan born British-Indian playwright, producer and theatre director at Phizzical Productions. Samir works across many art forms influenced by Indian cinema. He is known for pioneering BollyIdol, a national talent search with BBC and B4U (network), writing and directing Precious Bazaar and directing William Shakespeare's Cymbeline

He is the Creative Director of London Asian Film Festival organised by Tongues on Fire. As part of the 17th London Asian Film Festival, he invited Tony award nominee choreographer and Bollywood film director Farah Khan to run master classes in Choreography at Southbank Centre and Directing at School of Asian and Oriental Studies.

His first musical was Precious Bazaar which opened in 2004 at The Y in Leicester. It launched the careers of actor Jas Binag and Bhopal: A Prayer of Rain actress Fagun Thakrar. They were among 10 talented actors and dancers who were discovered through the BollyIdol contest he developed with BBC.EastEnders actress Rakhee Thakrar played the lead role Suhani in Precious Bazaar.

Precious Bazaar was nominated for a Windrush Award in 2004.

Samir worked with actor, singer and songwriter Robby Khela in Cymbeline and previously Jean Genet's The Maids.

In 2008, Samir directed the 1994 Pulitzer Prize nominated play A Perfect Ganesh written by Terrence McNally. He developed the ideas behind the play as part of in Residence at Haymarket Theatre.

Samir's interest in Shakespeare stems from finding how he can make the story and themes relevant to an audience who may not understand the text. During the World Shakespeare Festival, he was seconded to the Royal Shakespeare Company from the National Theatre programme Step Change. His Bollywood styled production of Cymbeline toured for 12 weeks to 22 venues in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is considered the longest theatrical tour by any British Asian theatre company. The production was reviewed several times during its tour and received many positive reviews and is of academic interest.

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