'Beauty and the Beast' to make Broadway debut in India

Disney India on Wednesday announced plans to bring the timeless classic "Beauty and the Beast" as a live stage musical to India for the first time ever.

Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this classic musical love story will be presented to Indian audiences on the same scale as the mega productions seen on New York's Broadway and in London's West End.

Over 100 of the best musical theatre performers in India will bring the story of "Beauty and the Beast" alive on stage, with world class production values, lavish sets and gorgeous costumes, according to a statement from Disney India.

Disney India's managing director Siddharth Roy Kapur said: "We are always thinking of ways in which to bring our audiences truly memorable world class entertainment experiences, and this pioneering effort to locally produce one of our most beloved Broadway musicals, is another example of that ongoing effort."

"'Beauty and the Beast' is a story that has resonated with millions of fans from around the world and we are sure it will do so in India as well", he added.

The musical will be completely developed locally in India, while retaining the original script and memorable music of the Broadway show.

The production will be in English of 130-minute duration, with select shows across Mumbai and Delhi from October to December 2015.