Applause Entertainment, the content studio of the Aditya Birla Group, is all set to reimagine and retell a story of conflict and struggle, with the Indian adaptation of the globally acclaimed Israeli drama series Fauda. Hailed as one of the best Israeli shows, the Indian version of the show, produced by the content studio in association with Applause Productions, is titled Tanaav (which means tension, chaos or stress). The series will be helmed by National Award-winning director Sudhir Mishra and co-directed by Sachin Mamta Krishn.

Set against the idyllic backdrop of Kashmir in the year 2017, the series tells the story of a Special Covert Ops Unit, their bravery and courage. Delving into the human drama behind the ideologies, dealing with complex emotions and flawed characters, all of whom share the same feelings of love, loss, betrayal and revenge, the series is a socio-political action drama with family at its core.

Shot extensively in real locations in Kashmir over 100 days, this fast-paced drama is told over 12 episodes. The cast is an eclectic ensemble of talented actors and performers cast by Mukesh Chhabra. The show features Manav Vij, Sumit Kaul, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Arora, Arbaaz Khan, Zarina Wahab, Ekta Kaul, Waluscha Dsouza, Danish Hussain, Satyadeep Mishra, Sukhmani Sadana, Sahiba Bali, Amit Gaur, Arslan Goni, Rockey Raina, M K Raina, Sheen Dass and Aryaman Seth, amongst others, in prominent roles.

Created by Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz and distributed by yes Studios, Fauda has received praise internationally. While staying true to the original format, its Indian adaptation has been reimagined for a larger Indian and global audience.

Sameer Nair, CEO, Applause Entertainment, said, “A global sensation, Fauda was always a story waiting to cross borders and be adapted in a new setting. We find it immensely gratifying to bring an edge-of-the-seat drama of this calibre to Indian audiences, offering a new perspective to the human stories depicting all sides of the conflict. With filmmakers like Sudhir Mishra and Sachin Krishn at the helm, backed by a stellar cast and talented writing, creative and production teams, we are excited to partner with Sony LIV to bring this show to the world. This partnership only strengthens our already strong relationship after successful collaborations on Scam 1992, Avrodh, Undekhi and Your Honor.”

Sudhir Mishra said, “Applause Entertainment discovers some of the best international stories to be reimagined and adapted for the Indian audience. As a filmmaker, Tanaav allowed me to explore a variety of characters and delve deep into their psyche. It is a true Indian story weaved into a tightly-knit action drama that highlights human emotions and the dilemmas they face. I cannot wait for the audience to binge-watch Tanaav, soon to launch on Sony LIV. ”

Bollywood filmmaker Mahmood Farooqui has been held guilty of raping a 30-year-old American woman in his South Delhi home last year. The 38-year-old 'Peepli Live' co-director, who was on bail, was taken into custody after additional sessions judge Sanjiv Jain convicted him of the offence under section 376 IPC on Saturday.

The court is believed to have relied on the testimony of the woman, a Columbia University research scholar, and other prosecution witnesses, including a common friend, and the e-mails she exchanged with Farooqui and other friends soon after the incident. Arguments on the quantum of sentence will be heard on August 2. Farooqui, who had co me to the court with wife Anusha Rizvi and some friends, faces punishment ranging from seven years to life imprisonment.

The woman was in Delhi to work on her doctoral thesis when the incident took place. The testimony of Danish Hussain (Farooqui's friend of over 20 years) as prosecution witness went against the director. It was Hussain who had introduced Farooqui to the complainant. The sexual assault allegedly took place on March 28 at Farooqui's Sukhdev Vihar home when his wife was not at home.

Hussain, 44, had told the court that the complainant had informed him about the sexual assault immediately after the incident. According to the prosecution, she not only sent Hussain WhatsApp messages but also called him from the taxi to share her trauma. Hussain also told the court that he had received emails from the complainant later, containing forwarded emails exchanged between her and the accused, which included mails from Farooqui's wife. The prosecution claimed that both Farooqui and his wife, Anusha, had apologised to the woman for the incident.

Hussain's testimony was challenged by Farooqui, who said the messages which were sent immediately after the alleged assault when she was still at his house, showed the woman discussing “trivial things“ and not mentioning anything about the rape. “In these messages, the woman has discussed how she was upset about not going to a wedding despite being dressed for it. This is unnatural for someone who says she was traumatised by the incident,“ Farooqui's lawyer Nitya Ramakrishnan told the court. Seeking Farooqui's conviction, the prosecution relied heavily on the mails sent by the woman to the filmmaker and her academic supervisor in which, police said, she had elaborated on the nature of assault.