Exclusive: Karan Anshuman and Suparn Varma, two of the first writers, directors and showrunners to move into India’s web series space, have co-directed Rana Naidu, Netflix’s Indian remake of Ray Donovan, produced by Sunder Aaron’s Locomotive Global. The Hindi-language show starts streaming worldwide from this Friday (March 10).
Anshuman is the showrunner on the series and co-directs with Varma. The cast is headed by two major stars of the Telugu-language film industry – Rana Daggubati and his uncle Venkatesh Daggubati – who appear on screen together for the first time, playing the warring father and son played by Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight in the original Showtime series.
Although initially resistant to the idea of doing a remake, Anshuman says he changed his mind after watching the original show, which ran for seven seasons and a movie. “What struck me is how families are integral to the story, and that obviously has relevance in India.
Anshuman is the showrunner on the series and co-directs with Varma. The cast is headed by two major stars of the Telugu-language film industry – Rana Daggubati and his uncle Venkatesh Daggubati – who appear on screen together for the first time, playing the warring father and son played by Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight in the original Showtime series.
Although initially resistant to the idea of doing a remake, Anshuman says he changed his mind after watching the original show, which ran for seven seasons and a movie. “What struck me is how families are integral to the story, and that obviously has relevance in India.
- 3/6/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Prolific Indian studio Applause Entertainment is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a flourishing streaming slate, several films, an ambitious expansion model and a doubling down on investment.
The company is led by CEO Sameer Nair, a pioneer of Indian television with previous stints at Star TV, Ndtv Imagine, Turner General Entertainment, and Balaji Telefilms.
On the film front, Applause’s Hindi-language “The Rapist,” by Aparna Sen, won the prestigious Kim Jiseok award at Busan in 2021. Next up is a film by actor-director Nandita Das, whose last film “Manto” was at Cannes. The film, which has the working title “Zwigato” and is a social satire about the Indian food delivery gig economy, is currently in post. It stars popular TV host Kapil Sharma and Shahana Goswami (“A Suitable Boy”).
Tahira Kashyap Khurrana’s feature debut, the Hindi-language “Sharmajee Ki Beti” is a social comedy that follows five women from different age...
The company is led by CEO Sameer Nair, a pioneer of Indian television with previous stints at Star TV, Ndtv Imagine, Turner General Entertainment, and Balaji Telefilms.
On the film front, Applause’s Hindi-language “The Rapist,” by Aparna Sen, won the prestigious Kim Jiseok award at Busan in 2021. Next up is a film by actor-director Nandita Das, whose last film “Manto” was at Cannes. The film, which has the working title “Zwigato” and is a social satire about the Indian food delivery gig economy, is currently in post. It stars popular TV host Kapil Sharma and Shahana Goswami (“A Suitable Boy”).
Tahira Kashyap Khurrana’s feature debut, the Hindi-language “Sharmajee Ki Beti” is a social comedy that follows five women from different age...
- 8/15/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Stand-up star and occasional actor Vir Das has a clear-cut strategy when it comes to balancing his two flourishing careers.
"I have to balance both careers. Stand up (comedy) takes time, so when I act that should be an interesting role," said Vir, revealing the reason which kept him away from films in 2020.
As an actor, Vir is known for his work in Bollywood films such as "Delhi Belly", "Go Goa Gone", "Mastizaade" and "Badmaash Company". Last year, he also starred in the black comedy web series "Hasmuk".
"I think "Hasmukh" was an interesting thing to pursue because a film takes a long time. For me, it's about finding a good character and telling a good story," he said.
Last month, Vir dropped his latest new comedy gig, "Outside In", created out of 30 virtual shows he did during lockdown and featuring audiences from all over the world. --ians/dc/vnc...
"I have to balance both careers. Stand up (comedy) takes time, so when I act that should be an interesting role," said Vir, revealing the reason which kept him away from films in 2020.
As an actor, Vir is known for his work in Bollywood films such as "Delhi Belly", "Go Goa Gone", "Mastizaade" and "Badmaash Company". Last year, he also starred in the black comedy web series "Hasmuk".
"I think "Hasmukh" was an interesting thing to pursue because a film takes a long time. For me, it's about finding a good character and telling a good story," he said.
Last month, Vir dropped his latest new comedy gig, "Outside In", created out of 30 virtual shows he did during lockdown and featuring audiences from all over the world. --ians/dc/vnc...
- 1/27/2021
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Actor and comedian Vir Das, who was named to Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch” list in 2017, has enlisted UTA for worldwide representation in all areas.
Das’ latest comedy special, “Vir Das: For India” debuted on Netflix in January. He has a long history with the streamer, becoming the first comedian from India to have a stand-up special on the platform when his show “Abroad Understanding” premiered in 2017. Following the success of that show, Das inked a multi-special deal and followed it up with “Losing It” in 2018. Currently, Das stars in the local language series “Hasmukh,” which he also created.
After making a splash with guest appearances on “Conan,” the actor made his U.S. television debut on “Whiskey Cavalier” in 2019. Das was a series regular on the ABC drama, which starred Scott Foley and Lauren Cohen. The same year, Das launched the Amazon Prime Video series “Jestination Unknown,” an unscripted...
Das’ latest comedy special, “Vir Das: For India” debuted on Netflix in January. He has a long history with the streamer, becoming the first comedian from India to have a stand-up special on the platform when his show “Abroad Understanding” premiered in 2017. Following the success of that show, Das inked a multi-special deal and followed it up with “Losing It” in 2018. Currently, Das stars in the local language series “Hasmukh,” which he also created.
After making a splash with guest appearances on “Conan,” the actor made his U.S. television debut on “Whiskey Cavalier” in 2019. Das was a series regular on the ABC drama, which starred Scott Foley and Lauren Cohen. The same year, Das launched the Amazon Prime Video series “Jestination Unknown,” an unscripted...
- 9/29/2020
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
International drama series follows a guru in rural India who builds an international empire.
India’s Applause Entertainment is making its first step into international drama series in partnership with Gurinder Chadha’s UK-based Bend It Films & TV and Sunder Aaron’s Us-based Locomotive Global Inc.
The three companies are collaborating on a project entitled Seeker, which traces the rise of a small village guru who becomes a “steely, enigmatic mystic” with a “vast and byzantine empire” that has influence worldwide.
Described as a multi-season drama series, the project is currently being scripted by a writers’ room of international talent.
India’s Applause Entertainment is making its first step into international drama series in partnership with Gurinder Chadha’s UK-based Bend It Films & TV and Sunder Aaron’s Us-based Locomotive Global Inc.
The three companies are collaborating on a project entitled Seeker, which traces the rise of a small village guru who becomes a “steely, enigmatic mystic” with a “vast and byzantine empire” that has influence worldwide.
Described as a multi-season drama series, the project is currently being scripted by a writers’ room of international talent.
- 6/30/2020
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Applause Entertainment, the Mumbai-based content studio which is behind The Office Indian remake and is rapidly emerging as a leading producer in the territory, has partnered with Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Film & TV and Sunder Aaron’s Locomotive Global on its first international series.
Seeker is being planned as a multi-season drama series chronicling the life of an Indian guru. It will track the journey of a man who starts with noble intentions, but after his incredible rise to global fame he finds his empire too complicated to handle.
The producers are setting a multi-national writers room for the project and plan to cast both Indian and international actors for a shoot that will take place in various locations within and outside of India.
Bend It Like Beckham and Blinded By The Light helmer Chadha’s Bend It Film & TV produced its first series Beecham House for Netflix last year.
Seeker is being planned as a multi-season drama series chronicling the life of an Indian guru. It will track the journey of a man who starts with noble intentions, but after his incredible rise to global fame he finds his empire too complicated to handle.
The producers are setting a multi-national writers room for the project and plan to cast both Indian and international actors for a shoot that will take place in various locations within and outside of India.
Bend It Like Beckham and Blinded By The Light helmer Chadha’s Bend It Film & TV produced its first series Beecham House for Netflix last year.
- 6/29/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
In this season of corona confinement, people will watch whatever plays out on whichever screen that flashes before their eyes. A whole lot of digital stuff will get noticed that way, and if "Girlfriend Chor" happens to belong to that lot it is not necessarily because this is a bad show.
Writer-director Girish Jotwani's rom-com is enjoyable, if only because it doesn't pretend to be anything more than an easy, breezy watch. Put simply, it is about a social oddball whose Daddy Cool takes it on himself to put the son's love life on track.
"Girlfriend Chor" avoids the deeper contexts of generation gap or mindset disparity that such a situation might lead to -- in fact, the show avoids getting into any sort of complications of any kind. The focus remains on hearty humour, Jotwani and team have done adequately to that extent.
This is the story of...
Writer-director Girish Jotwani's rom-com is enjoyable, if only because it doesn't pretend to be anything more than an easy, breezy watch. Put simply, it is about a social oddball whose Daddy Cool takes it on himself to put the son's love life on track.
"Girlfriend Chor" avoids the deeper contexts of generation gap or mindset disparity that such a situation might lead to -- in fact, the show avoids getting into any sort of complications of any kind. The focus remains on hearty humour, Jotwani and team have done adequately to that extent.
This is the story of...
- 4/22/2020
- GlamSham
Hasmukh
Starring Vir Das, Ranveer Shorey, Manoj Pawa, Suhail Nayyar, Ravi Kissan
Directed by Nikhil Gonsalves
It’s like Lata Mangeshkar being hired to play a bad singer. It takes a very brilliant actor to play a bad actor. Vir Das, a first-rate stand-up comedian, plays an inept pathetically cheerless stand-up comedian in Hasmukh who needs a strong impetus to make him come alive on stage.
No, a shot of that strong beverage won’t do. Something far more potent…like murder perhaps?
It is a tempting premise for a crime thriller. Something like Sonam Kapoor playing a couture queen who kills to kill it on the ramp. And Vir Das, who really should be seen more often, simply nails it. He is an innocent, virginal wannabe comic virtuoso bullied by his abusive uncle, and sexually molested by his aunt who gropes him while he makes the tea.Chai-ld abuse?...
Starring Vir Das, Ranveer Shorey, Manoj Pawa, Suhail Nayyar, Ravi Kissan
Directed by Nikhil Gonsalves
It’s like Lata Mangeshkar being hired to play a bad singer. It takes a very brilliant actor to play a bad actor. Vir Das, a first-rate stand-up comedian, plays an inept pathetically cheerless stand-up comedian in Hasmukh who needs a strong impetus to make him come alive on stage.
No, a shot of that strong beverage won’t do. Something far more potent…like murder perhaps?
It is a tempting premise for a crime thriller. Something like Sonam Kapoor playing a couture queen who kills to kill it on the ramp. And Vir Das, who really should be seen more often, simply nails it. He is an innocent, virginal wannabe comic virtuoso bullied by his abusive uncle, and sexually molested by his aunt who gropes him while he makes the tea.Chai-ld abuse?...
- 4/19/2020
- by Subhash K Jha
- Bollyspice
Netflix Hashmukh review is here. The dark comedy web television series directed by Nikhil Gonsalves is streaming on Netflix from April 17, 2020. The series stars Vir Das, Ranvir Shorey, Ravi Kishan, Inaamulhaq and Manoj Pahwa.
Immediate reaction when the end credit rolls
If idea would have been the only criteria to judge a moving pictures content than Hashmukh gets 10/10.
The Story of Hashmukh
An aspiring comedian in Saharanpur, Hasmukh Sudiya (Vir Das) is assisting the famous local stand up artiste Gulati (Manoj Pahwa). One day the fumbling Hashmukh gets into an argument with Gulati for a chance, break on stage, resulting in Gulati getting killed accidently. Hashmukh replaces Gulati on stage and the incident transfers the fumbling Hashmukh into a confident stand up who knows how to win over the audience with his jokes. Gulati?s manager Jimmy (Ranvir Shorey) knows what has happened and both Hashmukh and Jimmy form a...
Immediate reaction when the end credit rolls
If idea would have been the only criteria to judge a moving pictures content than Hashmukh gets 10/10.
The Story of Hashmukh
An aspiring comedian in Saharanpur, Hasmukh Sudiya (Vir Das) is assisting the famous local stand up artiste Gulati (Manoj Pahwa). One day the fumbling Hashmukh gets into an argument with Gulati for a chance, break on stage, resulting in Gulati getting killed accidently. Hashmukh replaces Gulati on stage and the incident transfers the fumbling Hashmukh into a confident stand up who knows how to win over the audience with his jokes. Gulati?s manager Jimmy (Ranvir Shorey) knows what has happened and both Hashmukh and Jimmy form a...
- 4/18/2020
- GlamSham
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