The Raj in the West End

The Far Pavilions, despite mixed reviews, may yet prove to be a step forward for the Asian presence on London's entertainment scene.

The runaway hit Bombay Dreams, which has just recently moved to Broadway, seems to have paved the way for a host of other Asian themed musicals that are hitting the big time in London's West End.

Britain perhaps had it coming, having declared its love long ago for all things Indian: its national dish is 'chicken tikka masala' (a dish, of course, you would never find in India), it seems as though you must listen to Punjabi MC, Raghav or Juggy D every time you walk into a London bar or nightclub, and Leicester Square is covered with large Hindi film posters now with alarming regularity.

The Brits had only themselves to blame then, as the musical based on M M Kaye's book The Far Pavilions, hit the stages on 14 April of this year.

The musical has received mixed reviews in the British press; some have called it a "romantic blockbuster" (The Guardian), and some, like The Sunday Times, have been slightly more scathing: "The British Raj has a lot to answer for: for example, the destruction of the Indian textile industry. To this list must now be added this ghastly musical, based on M M Kaye's bestselling novel. It has done nothing to make me read it. This is an overdressed Victorian fancy dress party, desperate to be multiculti..."

The Far Pavilions, which has already generated a milk-and-water mini televison series, is the story of an English boy brought up by an Indian nurse.

It is set during the mutiny of 1857, and Ashton (or Ashok, as he is mostly known in the novel) is able to pass as a light-skinned Indian from the foothills of the Himalayas.

He finds love with Anjuli, a princess also of mixed blood, and thus before his time tells a tale, albeit with much posing, of the identity confusions that are wreaked with the mixing of nations, of colonisation "" really, of globalisation.

(An issue that British Asians will be able to relate to "" given the high tensions between ethnic communities and the ongoing debate over immigration in Europe today "" and is perhaps also why the musical has been receiving rave reviews and standing ovations from Britain's Asian community).

The production of The Far Pavilions, which is a healthy mix of Indian and British, has in fact a larger amount of Indian money (the total cost of the production is estimated at £4 million) behind it than any other musical yet produced.

Out of 100 investors, 65 are of Indian and South Asian origin, and the average South Asian investment is approximately £50,000. Reita Gadkari, the co-producer and second largest investor in the show, who is originally from Delhi, however, is careful to distance herself from any cultural or national polarisation.

"It's an international production, really," she says. "We chose people for talent; the costumes are done by a Greek lady; the main character is from Australia. It's really seen as more a British production, which happens to have an Indian cast "" the issue is not political at all."

But it is clear that British Asians are becoming more of a force to reckon with in the entertainment industry, not just as writers (Meera Syal) and directors (Gurinder Chadha), but real financial muscle.

"British Asians are a huge part of public life in Britain," confirms Gadkari. "It's a highly educated segment of the population, and it's becoming a force in business life, since it's gaining financial confidence. And an investment in theatre is really as sound as anything else nowadays." (The theatre is a £300 million strong industry in London, and thriving).

Gadkari stops short of admitting that the recent craze with Bollywood (you can see it in the shop windows at Monsoon, Mango and Zara) has any part to play with what investors will or will not see as a sound investment.

"The book obviously has no Bollywood connotations. It's an original, a period piece. Rajasthan is of course colourful, as are the costumes of the period, and if that is seen as lending itself to Bollywood, then that can't be helped."

Bollywood is going to at least be present, though, by the participation of people like Anna Singh, who is designing the costumes, and Gayatri Iyer (who also sang for Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice, who is playing Princess Anjuli.

Still, it is understandable that Gadkari wants to keep her distance from Bollywood, which is seen as largely fatuous, and treated rather patronisingly by London's reviewers ("It is like being caught in a storm of sequins and silk. The plot ... never really gets off the ground, perhaps because you cannot fathom why everyone is literally making such a song and dance about Devdas" are a few of the things the Guardian reviewer had to say about Devdas).

Especially now that Asians are starting to put their own finances behind their productions, they do want to be taken a little more seriously. Let's see if The Far Pavilions is.