A decade ago, the inception of “Homeland” found its roots in the minds of David Naylor and Renu Arora. This evocative piece unfolds through the lens of Renu’s South Asian heritage and her Grandmother’s Partition story.
Renu, a distinguished South Asian actor, singer, and writer, took center stage in 2020 as Madam LaVaughn in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere, “The Magician’s Elephant,” earning accolades. With a prolific two-decade-long career, her presence graced prestigious venues including RSC, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Royal Festival Hall, Leicester Curve, Soho Theatre, Tamasha, Tara, Kali, and the BBC.
The harmonious confluence of Renu’s journey intertwines with David’s, a stirring musician whose creative spirit seamlessly melds with Renu’s vocal and acting finesse. A decade ago, Renu conceptualised “The Crossing,” a verbatim music theatre piece chronicling her Grandmother’s Partition journey. The production resonated deeply, birthing the soul-stirring melody, “O-Ishwar.”
In a serendipitous moment, Renu’s rendition of “Ishwar” ignited David’s imagination. Thus, the inception of “Homeland” began.
Both Renu and David encountered life-altering events, leading to profound shifts. David’s journey through surviving a near-fatal brain injury and relearning life, alongside Renu’s experience of being struck by a bus and dragged beneath its wheel, culminating in a Near Death Experience (NDE), which left her with a physical disability.
Their parallel journeys ignited discussions about unveiling “Homeland.” Yet, the timing remained elusive… until now.
This year, celestial alignments converged. “Homeland” stands as an homage to Renu’s late Grandmother and all those touched by the historical exodus. Echoing their evolved selves, David and Renu reveal this creation as symbols of resilience, infusing their personal transformations into every melodic note.
As David emerged from his coma, memories eluded him, including his contribution to the track. A poignant layer of tribute enhances the track, crystallising their odyssey from their initial stance to the remarkable individuals shaped by life’s seismic tremors.
Renu, carrying the physical emblem of her encounter with destiny, and David, bearing the concealed scars of a brain injury, stand as luminous inspirations. Theirs is a saga of artistic synergy, blurring the confines between music, theatre, and existence itself.
In Renu’s most recent venture, “The Burgundy Book,” a musical audio arts series inspired by her 2017 accident and near-death experience, Renu collaborates with luminaries such as Marc Teitler (RSC), Sita Brahmachari (Waterstones Book Prize), and Kristine Landon-Smith (Olivier Nominee). “The Burgundy Book” is set for release on all streaming platforms in January 2024.
For a deeper dive into Renu’s incredible story and body of work, please visit her website at:
Also, do explore “One Last Poem” by David Naylor on Apple Music for more of his soul stirring melodies.
To Listen To “Homeland”, Follow This Link:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/davidnaylorandrenuarora/homeland
‘I am the unlucky one’ I said to the Consultant. I was sobbing away on my own with nobody to hold my hand or support me. Where did I go wrong? What had I done? I always helped everyone – young old, needy and desperate. So why did it have to be ME? I didn’t understand.
Research studies have validated that trauma experienced by our Ancestors can live on in our DNA thanks to epigenetic inheritance. Read my account of carrying intergenerational trauma from the partition of India and Pakistan here.
I am pleased to share my podcast with you. Expulsion@50 is an oral history project, created to raise awareness of the expulsion over 80,000 Asians
The first of the Trust’s projects is the South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), which first took place in 2020 and runs from the 18th of July to the 17th of August each year.
SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities.
It seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia.
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