On Monday, Netflix India unveiled its star-studded slate for 2025 that includes Aryan Khan’s directorial debut The Ba***ds Of Bollywood, Dining With The Kapoors, and many anticipated offerings. But Triptii Dimri and Vijay Varma’s Afghan Snow was conspicuously missing from its roster. The spy thriller, produced by Karnesh Ssharma’s Clean Slate Filmz, was reportedly delivered to the OTT giant in December 2023. So, why is it nowhere close to reaching the audience yet?

According to multiple industry insiders, Netflix has assumed control of the project from Sharma and is now considering making some changes to the thriller that has been directed by Anshai Lal, who previously helmed Phillauri (2017) and Mai (2022).

An actor from the show, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Afghan Snow has been given to Netflix, and the team is contemplating re-editing the show and even shooting additional parts as they deem fit. I’m told it will release later this year. Many titles will be added to the streamer’s slate beyond the ones announced on Monday.”

After its successful collaborations with Netflix on Bulbbul (2020) and Qala (2022), Sharma’s production house had greenlit Afghan Snow for the OTT platform. Sources say that after the series was completed in December 2023, there were some creative differences between the makers and the streamer. With the project in limbo over the past year, crew members apparently also struggled with delayed payments.

A unit hand revealed, “Our payments took very long to get cleared. While some got the full payment eventually, for many of us, the final tranche will come upon release. We were expecting the show to be announced on Monday evening.”

With this series stuck and Sudip Sharma—who had made Kohrra (2023) with Clean Slate Filmz—announcing its second season independently, rumours about the production house undergoing major changes have gained credence. An insider said, “The production house has been practically defunct for the past year. It will be re-launched soon with a new name.”

Mid-day reached out to Netflix and Clean Slate Filmz for a comment on Afghan Snow’s fate. Both didn’t respond till press time.

Most debutants are compared to their peers, but Babil Khan will have a tougher road. The youngster, who is set to make his Bollywood debut with Qala this year, will inevitably be compared to his late actor-father Irrfan. Many may argue that with the pressure, comes the privilege of being a star kid. But Qala producer Karnesh Ssharma reveals that the actor earned a place in Anvita Dutt’s directorial venture on merit.

“Until Babil was signed on, we didn’t know he was Irrfan’s son. He got the film on pure merit. After Anvita auditioned him, she called and told me that she has found Jagan [his character]. I saw his tape, and we called him the next day. Only when he came for the reading with the casting director, did he tell us who his father was,” recounts the producer.

The Netflix mother-daughter drama sees Khan share screen space with Tripti Dimri. It won’t be easy for him to step out of Irrfan’s shadow looming large over him. But Ssharma hopes that the audience gives him a fair chance.

“He is a talented actor, raw and unusual. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on him; let him express himself. It is obvious for people to compare him with his legendary father. He is Babil, and he will get there in time.”

Anushka Sharma and producer-brother Karnesh Ssharma (below) have been the minds behind some brave stories in the recent past — from NH10 (2015) to Paatal Lok (2020) and Bulbbul (2020). So, when they announced Chakda Xpress, inspired by the life of Jhulan Goswami, it naturally piqued curiosity.

Convinced that Anushka is the best fit for the role, Karnesh says the actor is intensely preparing to bring to screen an honest rendition of the former Indian women’s cricket captain. “The story spans 12 years, and is a big-budget film. So, you need a big actor to front it to justify the budget. From her acting prowess to star value, there is no doubt about Anushka. She is training hard to [play] a fast bowler,” he says. The team plans to take the Prosit Roy-helmed film on floors in June. Probe if Virat Kohli is helping them perfect the cricketing nuances, Karnesh says, “He helped us get the right coaches.”

Most of their projects have women driving the narratives. Chakda Xpress is no exception. “The film is not about cricket,” asserts Karnesh. “It’s about women’s struggles in cricket. Jhulan is the face of it, but [at its heart], the film is about all the women who have tried to make a difference. All they want is an opportunity and respect. When you see the film, you will realise what these women had to endure to play a match. Now, women’s cricket is in a much better place. But it’s important to remind people of these women’s struggles; it’s important to support their game.”

The film’s first look received polarised reactions, with many questioning Anushka’s accent. Did it upset him? “It is art, and it is open to discussion. As long as it doesn’t get violent or belittle [someone], we accept it,” says Karnesh, whose Clean Slate Studioz has been announced as the principal partner for Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

She didn’t have any releases this year, yet 2020 was eventful for Anushka Sharma as a producer. The production house she helms with her brother, Karnesh Ssharma, backed two of the most talked-about OTT projects of the year: web series Paatal Lok and the film Bulbbul.

Sharma feels Indian audiences, more than ever, want to experience fresh content now. “This has been a year of disruption in the content landscape. With the pandemic, we were forced to stay home and discover content that we wanted to truly engage with. Only the clutter-breaking ones managed to stand out as our tastes are evolving and we want to see new and different content,” she says.

The actor is thrilled that her productions were appreciated across the board. “We are glad that we managed to stand out with our bold decisions and give audiences two clutter-breaking shows,” she says.

Sharma says she has always endeavoured to be unique as a producer. “We’ve been trying to produce engaging and different content since day one of our inception as a company. We’ve always told everyone what they can look forward to from us. Our brand of cinema is extremely risk-taking and we are committed towards originality,” she says.

For Sharma, 2021 will be a continuation of sorts vis-a-vis new talents and unique content. “We’ve spent the entire year finding real gems that will definitely stand out,” says the actor, who is expecting her first child, with husband Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket captain.

Ask Sharma what’s next in terms of production, and she says: “Next year will be no different. The announcements will happen in due course. Right from the start, we collaborated with forward-thinking creative visionaries and we are eager to present some new minds next year too. We’re confident they will amaze everyone.”