Career
Samir works across many art forms influenced by Indian cinema. He is known for pioneering BollyIdol, a national talent search with British Broadcasting Corporation and B4U (network), writing and directing Precious Bazaar and directing William Shakespeare"s Cymbeline His first musical was Precious Bazaar which opened in 2004 at The Y in Leicester. lieutenant 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 British Broadcasting Corporation. Eastenders actress Rakhee Thakrar played the lead role Suhani in Precious Bazaar.
Samir worked with actor, singer and songwriter Robby Khela in Cymbeline and previously Jean Genet"s The Maids. He developed the ideas behind the play as part of in Residence at Haymarket.
During the World Shakespeare Festival, he was seconded to the Royal Shakespeare Company from the National programme Step Change. Samir was the first judge of the United Kingdom version of Boogie Woogie and set the judging format which was followed from 2004 to 2008.
He was a guest judge in the preliminary stages of Just with Hrithik Roshan.
He wrote and produced the first United Kingdom theatre dance adaptation of the classic story Umrao Jaan Ada written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa in December 2014. His collaboration with Hitesh Rao and Ben-Azeera Lela for singer and songwriter Navin Kundra led to a new brand identity for the singer. He provided art direction and design in the digital visuals that feature in John Gihair"s book Welcome to Earth.
Samir was one of many cultural leaders who developed a new cultural strategy for the City of Leicester.
