After a barrage of tweets from the creative community and a scathing post by filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, ALT Balaji acknowledged that the uncanny similarities between the posters of His Storyy and Loev “cannot be a mere coincidence”. On April 9, the OTT platform had released the first poster of His Storyy, which saw Satyadeep Mishra and Mrinal Dutt lying in bed, embracing each other. Soon, Sudhanshu Saria, who had helmed indie film Loev (2015), took to Twitter to point out that the image was a rip-off of his film’s poster. Three days since, as the Ekta Kapoor-headed platform issued an apology, Saria says the incident is a symptom of a deeper problem plaguing Indian showbiz.

“The fact that so many creative people spoke up reflects that plagiarism is a normalised part of our industry. Sattu [Mishra] and Suparn [Varma, writer] texted me within minutes of my post. Photographer Jitu Savlani indicated that [the team] was asked to recreate our poster. I understand someone getting inspired by our poster because it captures intimacy well, but this is a [blatant] recreation, with even the colour palette [being retained],” he fires. 

The filmmaker, who was delivered his National Award for Knock Knock Knock last week, is shocked at the lack of respect for originality. “They didn’t even give Jitu the chance to do better. After this happened, I haven’t received a single call from the producers or the platform. They made a mistake; they said sorry. Why am I supposed to feel grateful that they apologized? I want Balaji’s show to do well. I could’ve lent them a few original ideas — they could’ve put Sattu and Priyamani on the bed, and had Mrinal’s illustration on top to depict that a third person has entered their marriage.”

After this episode, Saria has a singular appeal to producers — to encourage creative ingenuity instead of resorting to plagiarism. “Balaji isn’t the only company that does this; the problem runs deeper. Let’s not forget it’s the same production house that financed Lootera [2013] and ensured Lipstick Under My Burkha [2017] gets a theatrical release. I urge producers to be respectful of the collaborative process. I am not propagating cancel culture.”

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The story of the evolution of Indian satellite television would well be incomplete without Ekta Kapoor. Over the past two decades, the producer has dominated the telly world with her great Indian dramas that range from saas-bahu soaps to implausible stories about shape-shifting serpents. In contrast, her digital platform ALT Balaji had a slow start in 2017. Three years and over 60 original titles later, Kapoor claims that the OTT boom during the lockdown has given a boost to the platform.

"India's tier 2 and 3 towns have seen an upswing of Internet users that has been beneficial to all OTT platforms. We saw a lot of women from smaller towns subscribing to our platform; it also led to more time spent by our viewers. The growing demand for new seasons of the popular shows, including Baarish and Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain, have added to the brand's popularity," states Kapoor.

The OTT market has been largely dominated by the big players that include Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ Hotstar. However, Kapoor insists that the international streaming giants do not pose a threat to her digital platform—where the former targets the urbane audience that enjoys its fill of Ozark and Succession, she has positioned her app to cater to "the Bharat audience".

"We welcome the international apps as they cater to a smaller percentage of India, but at the same time, help us in widening the industry. We are the OTT of the masses; we create masaledaar content for India and the Hindi-speaking diaspora. The challenge is to tap the Bharat audience, who are looking for good stories in their language," says Kapoor, noting that the next billion users will emerge not from the cities, but from the heartland of the country.

The lack of censorship on OTT platforms has become a subject of intense scrutiny. While ALT Balaji has more than its share of erotic web series, including Gandii Baat and XXX: Uncensored, she maintains that they practice self-censorship. "We have strived for self-censorship, where the final choice remains with the viewers."

Angad on how he suffered a broken jaw while filming MumBhai's action sequence
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 8, 2020)

Angad Bedi has been shooting for the final leg of Ekta Kapoor's MUMBhai, a crime thriller revolving around the unlikely friendship between a cop and a gangster, over the past month. Unfortunately, the shoot hit a roadblock last week when the actor suffered a serious injury while filming an action sequence with co-star Sikander Kher in south Mumbai. Though the duo had rehearsed extensively for the scene, Bedi says an ill-timed elbow blow left him with a broken jaw and a bruised lip.

"In the show, Sikander's character is like an elder brother to my character; he plays a vital role in making me a cop. We were shooting at an akhada that day. Sikander and I are shown to be training in the scene," recounts Bedi, adding that they kept at least a foot's distance while rehearsing the stunts. "But when filming the take, we changed a particular move. What was earlier a punch, became an elbow blow. By mistake, I moved in the wrong direction and his elbow hit my face directly."

He says that the shoot of the ALT Balaji show was immediately called off as he needed urgent medical attention. "I had to keep icing it through the rest of the night. It will get better, but my upper lip is still swollen."

MUMBAI MIRROR (August 1, 2020)

The Defence Ministry, in a letter to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has advised production houses to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from them before telecasting any film, documentary, web series on army theme in the public domain. The letter was sent by the Ministry of Defence on July 27.

The decision was taken after some web series were found to present an allegedly distorted image of the armed forces. “In some of the web series like Code M on Zee5 and XXX Uncensored (Season 2) on ALT Balaji, the scenes related to the army are far from reality and present a distorted image of the Armed Forces,” said a senior government official.

Bollywood films based on the military go through a mandatory clearance process. However, with increased OTT platforms, the army feels it needs to moderate any possible alleged negative depiction of the uniform.

Ekta Kapoor proud that Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain 3, centred on extra-marital relationship, has been welcomed by viewers without moral judgment
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 26, 2020)

Ekta Kapoor knew she was going against the grain when exploring the idea of finding love outside marriage with Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain. But, with great risks, come great rewards. The positive response to the third season of the Ronit Roy, Mona Singh and Gurdeep Kohli starrer has boosted her confidence to experiment with similar mature subjects.

"The response to the show has reinstated my faith in backing subjects that appeal to the audience. People have told me that the show is an eye-opener when it comes to topics of relationships, love and marriage," states Kapoor.

The producer believes that the ALT Balaji series' win lies in its sensitive writing. "The writers have done a splendid job by showcasing the central characters in a balanced light. The show delves into complex emotions, and we have tried to justify each character and his/her actions. With the final episode set to drop on July 1, our social media timeline is flooded with fans sending their desired end to the story," she enthuses.

In an earlier interview to mid-day, Kapoor had revealed that the fourth edition would be loosely based on a Bollywood star wife. Quiz her on the development, and all she is willing to let on is, "We always try to improve our craft as compared to our previous work. The fourth season will be a notch above."

Making his digital debut with Ekta's Baarish 2, veteran Jeetendra discusses his return to acting and being nervous on the first day of the shoot
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; May 26, 2020)

"I hope I didn't mess it up," laughs Jeetendra, his sense of humour evidently not dampened by the years. At 78, the veteran is rediscovering the joy that comes with taking chances. Earlier this month, Jeetendra made his digital debut with ALT Balaji's Baarish 2. Standing by his side in the endeavour was producer-daughter and his biggest cheerleader, Ekta Kapoor.

"I didn't imagine doing [a web series] in my lifetime. But, I can never say no to Ekta. Being a part of her [ventures] is a big high for me. I remember doing a small role in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi only because she asked me to. Whenever I have done reality shows, they have all been for her," says the doting father. He adds that Ekta was not present on the first day of shoot. "Later, she said she liked my scenes. I was nervous on the first day because I had not faced the camera in a long time."

Jeetendra says he was a fan of the series, which will see him play a businessman with a penchant for match-making, even before his daughter offered him the role. "I binge watched the first season in one go," he exclaims.

One of the biggest stars of the '70s, Jeetendra charmed the audience with his earnest attitude and signature moves that earned him the moniker of Jumping Jack. The experience of resuming his place under the arc lights was tinged with nostalgia and nervousness. "Remembering lines at this age is tough. When they sent me the scene, I noticed there were long monologues that may seem easy to others, but made me nervous. When I was younger, I could have parroted them easily. [But now, I was worried about] people's reactions. What if they said, 'Yeh saala Jeetendra ko toh kuch bhi nahin aata hai'? Luckily, everyone on the set, especially the director [Nandita Mehra], was warm and welcoming."

Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 20, 2020)

Months after the third edition of Ekta Kapoor's ALT Balaji offering Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain went on floors, lead actor Ronit Roy confirms that the show will hit the web platform on June 6.

"[Filming] the third season turned out to be a spectacular journey. I discovered [different] shades to my character Rohit Mehra, and his deepest emotions. With this edition, I think we've hit the ball out of the park," say Roy about the web series, which was wrapped up before the country went into lockdown.

Small screen's blue-eyed boy, Roy has Kapoor to thank for consistently challenging him as an actor, and "entrusting me with roles that encourage me to grow".

The show, a tale on infidelity, starring Mona Singh and Gurdeep Kohli alongside him, will also simultaneously air on Zee5.

Despite Ekta Kapoor forgoing salary for a year, sources say Balaji announces 20 to 50 per cent pay reduction for employees for three months
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; April 22, 2020)

Almost a month into the Coronavirus lockdown, it has become increasingly difficult to keep the wheels of the economy turning, and several companies are resorting to pay cuts to stay afloat. Closer home in Bollywood, Ekta Kapoor, founder, Balaji Telefilms, had announced on April 3 that she was forgoing her annual salary of Rs 2.5 crore so that "my co-workers don't have to take a hit during this period of crisis."

Despite her best intentions, it has been heard that the studio — which has ALT Balaji and Balaji Motion Pictures as subsidiaries — is having to implement a three-month pay cut for its employees.

A source reveals, "On Monday, the staff was apprised of the decision. Those with annual salaries of up to Rs 12 lakh will have to take a 20 per cent pay cut while those in the Rs 12 lakh to Rs 36 lakh bracket are looking at a 25 per cent pay reduction. A 30 per cent pay cut is being implemented for those with annual pay packages between Rs 36 lakh and Rs 60 lakh, and the senior management will take only half their pay. The variable pay that is disbursed at the year-end is likely to be delayed as well."

mid-day reached out to Kapoor, who did not respond till press time.

Who's Your Daddy? director recounts how music team, scattered across the city and without access to the studio, created the show's title track at Ekta Kapoor's behest
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 4, 2020)

With the country under Coronavirus lockdown, how do you deliver a song when the music composer is in Mumbai, the lyricist, stationed in Delhi, and the singers don't have access to a recording studio? Perhaps, take a cue from Ekta Kapoor who ensured that the team of Who's Your Daddy? pulled off the feat before the first three episodes dropped on ALT Balaji and Zee5 on Thursday.

Turns out, singer-composer Akriti Kakar had cracked the score of the title track by mid-March, with the recording and sound editing scheduled for the week after.

However, their plans went awry with the industry grinding to a halt on March 19. Director Chirag Arora recounts, "We had no option but to record it as a click track, with Akriti and Romy recording their respective portions at their homes and sending it to the music producer, Deep Kalsi. Last week, it was sent for packaging to the sound editor, who worked out of a small set-up that he created at his house. Thankfully, we didn't need many retakes because both Akriti and Romy are so good at their job."

Despite the odds, Arora informs that the song was ready on March 26 and got a nod from Kapoor. "Since it was the title track, we couldn't have packaged the show without it. Luckily, we managed to deliver the series on time," says Arora of the Rahul Dev-fronted comedy.

From airing original web series to re-telecasting Ramayan and Mahabharat, the small screen is here for the big rescue 
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 29, 2020)

In times of social distancing due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many are stuck at home with nothing to do. And television is going all out to help people stay indoors. Some channels are airing popular old shows, others plan to showcase a mix of original OTT shows and old popular serials.

Zee TV amped up its prime time — 9 pm to 11 pm — with brand new content and, from March 25, began airing three series — Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat (KTBM), Baarish and Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain — produced by Ekta Kapoor for her OTT platform ALT Balaji. Zee TV’s business head Aparna Bhosle says, “We’re also reintroducing classics like Kasamh Se and Brahmrakshas.”

Moreover, after an intense appeal on social media, Union minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted that “on public demand”, two episodes of the mega popular shows, Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan (1987) and B R Chopra’s Mahabharat (1988) would be aired on DD National daily.

Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala, who played Sita in Ramayan, feels the show has been an integral part of our culture and people appreciate it even today. Chikhalia admits as the show is 33 years old, it will seem slow and urges people to have patience with it. She says, “There are people who loved watching the show which became a sensation in the late ’80s, so they’ll definitely tune in. There is a lot to take away from Ramayan.”

Prem Sagar, who’s the son of the show’s late director, says that even though Ramayan aired on different channels, this will be the show’s second telecast on DD since 1988. “The story of the Ramayan is eternal and has been passed down over generations. He (Ramanand Sagar) was born to make the show and only after reading 14 versions of the epic, did he write the show,” he shares.

And while Hotstar’s original series Hostages will air on Star Plus along with other web shows, the entire revamping will also give fresh content for viewers who haven’t seen them online. With two of his web shows being aired on two different channels, actor Ronit Roy thinks it is a great idea to air web shows on channels. He says, “There is a huge section of the audience that doesn’t watch web shows. And now with the lockdown, they have an opportunity to catch up. It is a great idea as most TV shows don’t have a bank of episodes, while OTT platforms have a lot of shows to keep people glued to their screens. It’s a wonderful idea to utilise what they have.”

On learning about the mega shows, actor Neena Gupta says her 1998 show, Saans, should be aired once again as well. And who knows, maybe this re-telecast of popular shows on DD might start a whole new trend, apart from driving away your lockdown blues.
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Ramayan and Mahabharat are still relevant

The country would come to a standstill and streets would be deserted when Ramayan and Mahabharat were aired. Though other versions were produced later, none could match their success. Nitish Bhardwaj, who played Lord Krishna in Mahabharat, says, “Mahabharat is still relevant. It is a golden opportunity for millennials as it teaches you to live, about power struggles, and the correct definition of Dharma, which is not about any religion. Don’t compare its VFX with modern technology, focus on the dialogues by Dr Rahi Mazoom Raza and the performances by the cast.”

As most of us are self-quarantining due to the Coronavirus outbreak, digital shows and OTT platforms have turned to be our sole entertainers
Juhi Chakraborty and Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 25, 2020)

Staying in is what most of us are doing amid this pandemic situation. And naturally, the more we stay at home, the more we find ourselves glued to the screens. Now, with no film releases in sight because of the shutdown of theatres and shoot of TV shows stalled across the country, what everyone is finding solace in are the OTT platforms. In fact, web shows have become the best tool for people to ward off boredom, and the platforms, too, are ensuring that the audience is spoilt for choice.

RISE IN TRAFFIC
The web, in times of no new films or TV shows, has seen a drastic spike in their traffic. Tarun Katial, CEO, ZEE5 India confirms, “We’ve seen a spike across key metros, as audiences continue to consume a wide variety of content. Interestingly, we’ve seen a significant jump in the consumption on connected devices, too, and this could be because many people are working from home.”

Neeraj Roy, Founder & CEO, Hungama Digital Media, shares that since the beginning of March, there has been an increase of over 20% in viewership on Hungama Play. While this trend started in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, they’re also beginning to notice this spike in other cities. “Further, being at home 24/7 has had a visible impact on consumption hours as well. Instead of peaking between 8-10 in the morning, consumption now remains high till 11.30 am. Likewise, consumption goes up during lunch hours. At night, instead of the usual 8 pm to midnight, consumption now starts peaking at 6 pm,” he informs.

Ali Hussein, CEO, Eros Now, on the increase in platform’s engagement during the current lockdown situation, says, “In the era of social distancing, consumers are turning to digital entertainment. We’ve seen an increase of 200% in paid subscribers on a daily basis and App Annie shows a 78% increase in daily traffic.”

ON TREND
With so much ‘spare’ time in hand, OTT content on varied themes has found acceptance. Ferzad Palia, Head- Voot Select, Youth, Music & English Entertainment, Viacom18, says their new shows are already trending. “Our growth can’t be attributed to increased consumption alone… new, original content like Asur (right) and Marzi have received phenomenal response,” he says.

Interestingly, apart from recent films such as Chhapaak, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (both on Hotstar), and Street Dancer 3D (on Amazon Prime), doomsday films such as Contagion (featured pic; based on a fictional virus pandemic), Zombieland: Double Tap and the documentary Pandemic: How To Prevent An Outbreak (left), now figure among the top watched films on their respective streaming platforms. On Netflix again, films such as Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (left; above), a sci-fi movie in which humanity is wiped out because of a T-Virus outbreak is on top besides filmmaker Imtiaz Ali’s SHE, a web show, which is trending at Number 1.

Director Neeraj Pandey, whose show Special Ops (left) has received rave reviews upon its release on Hotstar, says that it’s all about the content and the timing of the release doesn’t matter. “If the content is good, people will see it whenever they have time. As a story-teller, you’re essentially working for the audience, and want to have a wider base.”

Roy further reveals that videos across various formats are being watched widely. “Recently we launched Damaged 2 and Kashmakash, or even the ones we launched earlier like Bar Code and Damaged, are witnessing a spike in streaming. Short-format videos under categories of humour, entertainment, health etc. are also being consumed,” he says.

Mentalhood (right) on ALT Balaji and Zee5 is also trending, and its actor Dino Morea says, “We came at a good time when everyone is binge watching stuff, and ours is a top-rated show. Glad that people are watching it.”

WHAT’S NEXT

- There’s no stopping these OTT platforms as they continue to churn out new content even in these times.

- ALT Balaji has three new offerings — Who’s Your Daddy, Baarish- Season 2 and XXX UNCENSORED S2.

- “The main objective of our community service campaign #StayALT is to encourage everyone to follow the precautionary directives, while keeping them engaged with a variety of content,” shares Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing, Analytics & Direct Revenue at ALTBalaji.

- Amazon Prime has made a selection of kids and family content available for free, and will also release Four More Shots Please! Season 2 on April 17. Netflix, meanwhile, has one of its most popular shows, Money Heist’s season 4 lined up for an early April release.

OTT platforms asked to lower streaming quality to reduce internet overload
Industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has written to the telecom department and OTT companies to lower the streaming resolution to reduce the burden on the networks in the wake of people staying at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. “During this critical time, it’s essential to cooperate with TSPs to manage traffic distribution patterns which are likely to strain network infrastructure at a time when it is needed for various critical requirements,” COAI’s official letter read.

Government gives online platforms 100 days to put mechanisms in place to self-regulate adult entertainment and politically sensitive content
Sweta Dutta (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 3, 2020)

Pressure is mounting on the over-the-top (OTT) players – the people who have brought you riveting dramas like Game of Thrones and Narcos – to adopt some form of censorship for their content. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday gave the industry a hundred days to set up an adjudicatory body and finalise a code of conduct. Javadekar met head honchos of nearly all the top OTT platforms in Delhi and cited the example of China where streaming sites have accepted a set of conditions that now govern their content. In a 45-minute meeting that was attended by representatives of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Zee5, MX Player, ALT Balaji, Hotstar, Voot, Jio, Sony LIV and Arre, four OTT platforms refused to be a part of the Digital Content Complaint Council (DCCC), an adjudicatory body formed last month. Sources said that Amazon Prime, at the very outset, had conveyed its displeasure over the idea, whereas Netflix, Zee5, MX player and ALTBalaji have sought more time to deliberate.

Offline Mode
So far, only Hotstar, Voot, Jio, Sony LIV and Arre have signed up with DCCC, a brainchild of Internet and Mobile Association (IAMA) and the I&B Ministry.

IAMA had drafted a code of self-regulation for OTT platforms on January 17, 2019 titled ‘Code of Best Practices for Online Curated Content Providers’. This curbs OTT platforms from streaming content which is banned by Indian courts, disrespects the national emblem, outrages religious sentiments, promotes violence against the state, or depicts child pornography.

Just last week, Disney-owned Hotstar had blocked the latest episode popular show “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” that was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the episode, which is available on YouTube, and originally put up around US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, Oliver talked about policies of the Modi and recent protests Modi’s citizenship measures.

Javadekar had last met OTT platform representatives in October and sought suggestions from them to come up with mutually agreeable terms.

The formation of DCCC was announced in February with Justice (retired) A P Shah as its chairman. Though the composition and strength of the council is yet to be finalised, it is likely to have five to seven members, two of them representing OTT players.

As the need for self-regulation was debated at Monday’s meeting, Javadekar cited the example of his own house where a fire-stick is used to watch content across platforms. He pointed out that in most Indian households, where the entire family watches most OTT content together, it is necessary to regulate what can be watched together.

One of the signatories of DCCC told Mumbai Mirror that the government has so far told the players that there will be no censorship of content, instead it expects the companies to come up with better segregation and categorization of content to reach out to different age groups of viewership. “While there is no consensus among OTT players right now, we hope once DCCC is in place, we will have more players join us,” he maintained.

Javadekar cited examples of China, France and Singapore on government-imposed regulation, though members present pointed out that Singapore has self-regulation.

While Amazon Prime, ZEE5, Voot, Hotstar, ALTBalaji, Jio and SonyLIV remained unavailable for comment, a Netflix representative declined to comment.

Karan Bedi, CEO, MX Player, described the meeting as constructive. “All, including the minister, were in agreement that there is a broad consensus required from the whole industry, which will then be presented to the ministry once it is ready. Deliberations are on amongst all the players. The group also discussed single window clearances for production and a few other issues,” he said.

Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 16, 2020)

“It’s a Dogra takeover,” says Monica Dogra, who is making her web debut opposite Ridhi Dogra in the upcoming up series, A Married Woman. The digital show is inspired by Manju Kapur’s book by the same title. This isn’t the first time Kapur’s words have served as fodder for lovers of theatrics — her previous book, Custody inspired Ekta Kapoor’s Yeh Hai Mohabbatein.

“I am excited to debut in the digital entertainment with a meaningful subject,” says Monica, who will be seen as an artist in the queer love story. “The digital space has made room for the exploration of sensitive and necessary story-telling,” adds Monica, who has films like Rock On (2008), Dhobi Ghat (2011), Fireflies (2012), David (2013) among other, to her credit. “I have been known to tackle taboo subjects through my music. But this project gives me an opportunity to dive in through a [different] medium.”

Set in 1992, Zee5 and ALT Balaji’s A Married Woman captures a love story that blossoms during a political unrest. It will also mark Ridhi’s web debut.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 13, 2019)

Life has come a full circle for Sunny Leone who shot to Bollywood fame courtesy her Baby Doll act in Ragini MMS 2 (2014). The actor will be making a special appearance in the second season of the ALT Balaji web series, Ragini MMS Returns, which stars Varun Sood and Divya Agarwal. Leone will feature in a dance number titled Hello Ji, composed by Meet Bros.

Confirming the news, she says, "The song has been mounted on a large scale as the makers want to blow this one out of the park. Over the last few years, Ekta [Kapoor, producer] and I were planning to collaborate on something. When I met her recently, she suggested that I do this song. She has put in a lot of effort into creating this track." Knowing that comparisons with her dance numbers are inevitable, Leone adds, "Vishnu Deva [choreographer] and I have [taken efforts to] make sure that it is different from what I have done in the past."

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 12, 2019)

His performance as hot-headed gangster Munna Tripathi in Mirzapur behind him, Divyenndu Sharma has trained his focus on ALT Balaji’s Bicchoo Ka Khel, a crime thriller which is being headlined by him. Set to go on floors soon, the story revolves around a budding writer — an underdog — who loses his father in an untoward incident. The show chronicles how he manipulates the law and walks away scot-free after executing a revenge.

Sharma tells mid-day, “My character is that of a writer who is a fan of pulp fiction. I am reading books written by Om Prakash Sharma, Ved Prakash Kamboj, and Surender Mohan Pathak, who are among the finest pulp fiction writers in India. For me, humanising this character will be my biggest preparation.”

The decision to cast Sharma in a character far distanced from his previous acts was taken collaboratively by the production house and him. “The makers wanted to surprise people by casting against type. The production house and I were planning to collaborate for a long time. This was the kind of character I was looking for, and they were convinced that I could pull this off.”