There are rare moments in my career that feel both exhilarating and daunting. This is one of them. This September, I’ll make my arena directing debut with Diwali Story: The Journey of Ram – A Musical, premiering at OVO Wembley Arena.

As someone who has spent much of my career creating intimate theatre, touring productions and developing new British South Asian work, the opportunity to bring one of the world’s greatest stories to one of the UK’s biggest stages feels both exhilarating and deeply humbling.

The Ramayana has survived for thousands of years because every generation discovers something new within it. It is a story about family, duty, love, exile, sacrifice, courage and the choices that define who we become. Those themes remain as relevant today as they have ever been.

When producer Nitin Palan MBE invited me to become part of the creative team, my first question was quite simple:

How do we make today’s children and young people fall in love with this story?

I thought about my own niece and nephew. I spoke with parents and friends. I asked them what they hoped their children might take away from experiencing the Ramayana for the first time. These conversations are helping me to shape every creative decision.

Directing for an arena isn’t simply about making everything bigger. It’s about finding intimacy inside a space that holds thousands of people. Every creative decision has been driven by one question: how do we make a child sitting at the back of Wembley Arena feel as connected to Ram, Sita and Hanuman as someone sitting in the front row?

Bringing together professional actors, dancers, musicians and community performers on this scale is daunting, but also one of the most exhilarating creative challenges of my career. It is a genuine privilege to collaborate again with Shruti and Rohan Shah from Bollywood Dance School, who are creative directors and choreographers on Diwali Story. Shruti and Rohan choreographed our tour of Bombay Superstar in 2022.

Diwali Story also features an original score by acclaimed Indian composer Rahul Ranade, including a beautiful new song performed by the legendary Kavita Krishnamurthy.

Building on last year’s Royal Albert Hall production of Diwali Story, originally created by co-writers Neelima Penumarthy and Ranuben Mehta-Radia, with Ranuben also directing, I have reimagined the production for the arena. Developing a new theatrical vision, I wrote Acts One and Two to create a musical that speaks to audiences of all generations.

From the outset, producer Nitin Palan MBE was clear that the production should leave audiences with more than the story of Ram’s return to Ayodhya. He wanted families to understand why Diwali continues to matter today. That’s where emerging writer Bhavini Sheth joined the creative team. Bhavini has written Act Three, exploring the five days of Diwali and the values that continue to shape millions of families around the world. Together, the production moves from ancient epic to contemporary celebration, asking not simply how the Ramayana ends, but how its light continues through the lives we live today.

Although produced by Sanatan Events , Phizzical is supporting the production throughout its development, providing creative advice and mentoring where appropriate. For us, that’s part of our wider mission. We believe building the future of British South Asian theatre isn’t only about producing our own work. It’s also about sharing knowledge, supporting ambitious partners and creating opportunities for others to succeed.

I’m also delighted that Lyca Radio Network has joined the production as exclusive radio partner, helping introduce this story to audiences across the UK.

Neelima Penumarthy has spent years introducing children to Indian stories through StoryHour UK, producing award-winning audiobooks, puppet productions and educational programmes that have reached families across Britain and beyond. Her work has appeared everywhere from Trafalgar Square’s Diwali celebrations to the BBC, always with a commitment to making these stories joyful, accessible and inclusive.

Bhavini Sheth represents an exciting new generation of British theatre-makers. Alongside writing and directing her own work, she develops young artists through organisations including The Old Vic, National Youth Theatre and Sparks Film & Media Arts.

I hope audiences leave having experienced something that feels genuinely epic, but also deeply human. A production where spectacular music, storytelling and performance remind us why these histories still matter today. So whether you’re discovering the Ramayana for the first time or returning to a story you’ve loved since childhood, I hope you leave feeling inspired to keep asking questions, sharing these stories and celebrating Diwali together. If we can spark that curiosity in the next generation, then we will have achieved something very special.