Bobby Deol plays a Godman in MX Original Series, Aashram, which starts streaming from August 28; insists OTT has given him a chance to reinvent himself
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 25, 2020)

After 25 years in the showbiz, Bobby Deol is all set to begin a new innings on the OTT platform, with the MX Original Series, Aashram, streaming on MX Player. The actor plays a Godman accused of manipulating the blind faith of his followers. “Good things are finally happening, I have worked really hard and now my work is speaking for me,” exults Bobby, who’s now looking for challenging roles that will break his image. “This is a chance to reinvent myself, prove myself as a versatile actor and connect with a generation that hasn’t seen me yet.” He admits that one of his reasons for doing Aashram was producer-director Prakash Jha. “When you are choosing such relevant subjects, you need someone who will do it right,” asserts the actor, confiding that the director inspired him in the gym too. “I’d wake up every morning at 5.30 am, during the shoot, to find him halfway through his workout, then, stay energised through the day,” he marvels.

The show was filmed in a palace in Ayodhya and to give it the ambience of an ashram, Jha had greenery planted around it five months before the shoot. “It was beautiful,” Bobby raves, admitting that he didn’t need much prep because the script is so beautifully penned. “I spent a month-and-a-half with my diction trainer, as in my dialogues there were at least four words in a sentence that I didn’t understand,” he laughs.

Bobby’s father, Dharmendra, has been at his farmhouse since the Coronavirus lockdown in March. Is he planning a visit to Khandala? “I’d love to, but we are worried we could carry the virus there, even if we seem fine. Why take that chance? Also, my boys (Aryaman and Dharam) are schooling online and there is no wifi at the farmhouse. Right now, the more we stay away from each other, the better,” he asserts, admitting the family is missing the patriarch. “We are an emotional and close-knit family and there is a 4G corner in the farmhouse. So, even though the reception is so bad, we chat daily.”

At home, younger son Dharam has been pushing Bobby into working out daily. “You think you know your kids, but you don’t, till you sit with them. The lockdown gave me that chance,” he reveals. So, will we see him with a six-pack soon? “If it’s required, sure. But at my age, it won’t be easy. Right now, the focus is to look fit and healthy as that gives me the confidence and energy to work more.”

And how are the kids reacting to his new innings? “I know they are proud of their father for trying something different. They read all the reviews and interviews and are happy with all the appreciation I am getting,” he shares, adding that the new industry kids are getting to do diverse work early on. “It’s been more difficult for me, but OTT provides varied opportunities.”

But doesn’t a show like Aashram stand the risk of hurting religious sentiments? “These stories have grown out of what’s happening around us and create awareness. Prakash ji is only warning us not to fall prey to blind superstitions. There is a disclaimer at the beginning, stating that we respect every religion and belief,” he informs, adding that all speculation around his character will be proved wrong, once the show starts streaming on MX Player from August 28. “I’ve never done a web series before, so I’m going to binge watch it through the night,” he says excitedly. 

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 24, 2020)

Writer-actor-filmmaker Prakash Jha has always pursued socially relevant subjects. His narratives — whether they talk about reservation, dynasty politics or loopholes in the social fabric — have been entertaining and informative. With MX Original series Aashram, his first show for an OTT platform, the filmmaker is once again, in the eye of a controversy. MX Player, the platform streaming the show, has released a disclaimer regarding this even before the show drops online.

Says Jha, “When MX Player approached me for Aashram, I found the concept interesting. The show does not attack people’s faith, but it talks about an individual, who, for his own vested interests, takes undue advantage of people’s search for spiritual enlightenment and faith, and their blind trust in them. In the bargain, it’s quacks like these who bring a bad name to our beliefs and practices. The reason we put out a disclaimer even before the show was out, was to tell people that we indeed take pride in our culture and faiths, but not in the people who bring a bad name to it. The show is crafted out of a fictitious story that talks about how people get entangled in these things and often don’t find an exit.” Aashram streams for free on MX Player starting August 28.

In the course of his career, Jha has often faced controversies over the subject matter of his films. Talking about it, Jha, who is known for his films like Raajneeti, Gangaajal and Aarakshan, says, “It has always been a challenge for filmmakers to be able to say what they have to. As content creators, it’s our duty to communicate with the audience with a sense of responsibility. Our stories, after all, are meant for the society at large. But we don’t often get past things without facing hurdles. I have fielded far too many controversies over my films — from the time I made Gangaajal to now. I have faced obstacles, but with a discerning, intelligent and strong audience on one’s side, one does find a way through it all.”

So, Bipasha Basu is relieved to have husband as co-star in MX Player’s exclusive new series, Dangerous, which starts streaming today
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 14, 2020)

Bipasha Basu returns to the screen after four years with a slick thriller, Dangerous, a story of betrayal, love, passion, deception, and rivalry. The Bhushan Patel-directorial had started off as a film, Aadat Diaries, but will now mark the actress’ debut in the digital space. She is happy it will release on MX Player as a series, reasoning she wouldn’t want people watching it in theatres in the midst of a pandemic. “More people can be reached through digital platforms anyway. Internationally, people had warmed up to OTT long ago. In India, the Coronavirus lockdown has brought about a boom, which is only going to grow,” she asserts.

A huge fan of investigative thrillers and female detectives like Eve Polastri in Killing Eve played by Sandra Oh, and Anna Friel’s Marcella Backland in Marcella, she jumped at the opportunity. “I play Neha Singh, a Scotland Yard detective. I cut my hair short, and put to use all that I had learnt at acting workshops with Roland Joffé for Singularity, which includes making her own back story for the character.” So what’s Neha’s backstory? “Even my director doesn’t know,” she chuckles.

In Dangerous, Bipasha pairs up with actor-husband Karan Singh Grover for the first time after they got married in April 2016, insisting that on the set, they are actors first. “I need my space when I’m working and Karan understands that. Having a spouse for a co-star works, because you understand their moods. Also, kissing scenes are easier,” she quips, admitting that in the past liplocks always made her break into a fever. “I don’t mind lovemaking scenes because you can cheat on camera but a liplock is scary! I got rid of one in Dum Maaro Dum and had my livid director (Rohan Sippy) wondering which era I belonged to. During Bachna Ae Haseeno also, Siddharth Anand would laugh at my reluctance. I gave in eventually, but was freaking out even while kissing my good friend (R) Madhavan in Jodi Breakers. Now, they’ve become the norm, so I’ll have to power through my fevers.”

So, does this mean more films only with hubby? “No, Karan and I won’t be working together for some time now, except for ads. It’s unhealthy!” she insists, adding that she’d completely blissed out, not realising how much time had passed. “Last year, during the Diwali parties, my producers and directors lectured me, and even Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan wondered where I’d been, and why I wasn’t acting, looking pointedly at Karan, who explained he wasn’t my boss. I promised him I’d be back soon and last month started reading scripts.”

Dangerous brings back some harrowing memories too as, during the London shoot, Karan had injured himself badly. “A titanium rod had to be inserted in his left leg. I didn’t have family there, so had to take all decisions myself while filming,” she shudders, recalling that since Karan wasn’t allowed to fly home immediately after the surgery, they spent Diwali in a hotel room with only her assistant. “We didn’t know if he’d be able to be as active with the rod, but he does more things now with that leg than with the other,” she gushes, adding that her better half is not a regular guy chasing money and fame. “He’s sensitive and creative; his soul belongs in the jungle. Atrangi aadmi se shaadi ki hai maine and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The duo has packed a lot into the lockdown with their ritual of meditating, working out, gardening, and cooking. “We have a lot of plants and with the gardener away; I’ve become quite an expert at looking after them. I am growing so many vegetables and have discovered I’m an international chef too, who can whip up some healthy but tasty recipes while Karan has grown into a good handyman. He’s also been painting a lot while I’ve taken courses in everything, including chakras,” she reveals. She adds that their TV time is limited to between 7-8:30 pm. And today, she’s looking forward to watching Dangerous with Karan when it streams for free on MX Player. “I wanted to experience it with the rest,” she signs off.

Set to begin filming web series, Rajat Barmecha checks into Juhu hotel to minimise Coronavirus risk for grandfather
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 4, 2020)

Rajat Barmecha is gearing up for the shoot of the second season of Hey Prabhu. But as work comes calling, the actor has decided to check into a Juhu hotel to avoid the risk of exposing his family to the virus. "My 90-year-old grandfather is living with us. Keeping the risks in mind, I had avoided shooting and going out in the past few months. But now that I have to get back to work, I will move into a hotel so that my family is safe," reveals Barmecha, who burst on the scene with Udaan.

Beginning tomorrow, the actor has a 40-day shoot lined up of the MX Player series. However, a start-to-finish schedule will not be possible due to the unavailability of certain locations.

He agrees that staying in character while being mindful of the on-set regulations will be a novel experience. "I won't go back home before October. After the shoot is wrapped up, I will self-quarantine in the hotel for 14 days."

As shoot of intimate scenes may pose difficulty in the post-COVID world, Mastram writers to cut down on erotic element for the show's second season
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 22, 2020)

The makers of Anshuman Jha-fronted Mastram have an uphill task as they develop the second season of the web series based on Rajaram, the popular erotica writer of the '80s. After all, with an increased emphasis on social distancing, shooting intimate scenes will pose a problem in a post-Coronavirus world. In a pre-emptive move, the creative team has decided to curtail intimate sequences at the writing stage, instead of training the focus on the protagonist's psyche.

Writer Aryan Sunil explains, "[In the next season], we are delving into Rajaram's life and how he arrived at his books. As for the shoot of [erotic] scenes, we will follow the guidelines that will be put in place. We were the first show in India to hire international intimacy directors. After the crisis, we will be more careful. The sequences and the degree of intimacy depicted will be decided by the intimacy directors."

Jha believes cutting down on the erotic element will hardly affect the theme of the MX Player offering. "The DNA of the show will not change much because the story is about Rajaram's romantic interests, his relationship with his uncle and his cult books. The conflict between his real-life relationships and his literary imaginations will continue to be explored."

Intimacy coordinator for the web series Mastram, Amanda Cutting, on what her presence on a film set means for aesthetics in a post - #MeToo world
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 3, 2020)

For the longest time, the most persistent imagery of sex on our screens was the visual of two flowers coming together. And yet, in a parallel universe, existed the erotic novels by Mastram that explored the vivid sexual experiences of the common Indian. Thus, it was essential for producers of a biographical series based on Mastram, to depict sex uninhibitedly — much like how Vatsayana’s Kamasutra meant for us to enjoy the experience.

Among the first things that producer Sunil Bohra and the OTT platform MX Player did was hire an intimacy co-ordinator, a first for the Indian entertainment industry.

Amanda Cutting, who has previously worked on an unaired prequel pilot for Game Of Thrones, The Magicians and The Good Doctor, was flown in from Canada for the job.

Cutting, locked down at her home in Calgary, Canada, tells mid-day in a telephonic interview that she had to mentally realign herself to Indian sensibilities to deliver an authentic show that stayed true to its muse. “The idea of bringing me down was to ensure that performers are confident doing intimate actions and feel safe during shooting. Because I had both prior directorial experience and have worked on shows with explicit sexual content, they felt like I was a good fit,” she says about the 10- episode series directed by Akhilesh Jaiswal, starring Anshuman Jha and Tara Alisha Berry.

Mastram is an adapted biopic based on the life of erotica writer Mastram. The show blends in experiences of his personal life and his stories. On the subject, Cutting says, “I was familiar with Mastram because my uncle is East Indian. But, as part of my research, I familiarised myself with the details of the script and understood the cultural milieu of the stories he wrote. I got [my hands on] some translated Mastram novels to understand how he created sexual tension. A lot of the choreography for these scenes was done keeping in mind the novel.”

The thing about depicting sex on screen, Amanda concedes, is to ensure that it’s sensual and arousing. “In this case, I had to help the audience use its imagination to finish off stories. Some of it was explicit, a lot of it was suggestive. And that often has a more seductive impact than a full naked body.”

She adds that she stayed away from Bollywood clichés. “The positions usually utilised were discarded. I brought in many Kamasutra positions that honoured Indian culture and don’t rely on the Westerner’s gaze. Different things are considered appealing for people in different cultures. It was a pleasant discovery that Indians like curvy women. As a full figured woman myself, it was refreshing to know that curves are sexy. Also, it was nice to realise that build-up and tension is valued. Indians understand foreplay. Delayed gratification is a significant tool in my line of work where we can drag an audience along for the ride and keep them excited. That’s where the sizzle lies.”

Cutting walks us through workshops and storyboards created for every scene that helped familiarise the cast with the choreography of an intimate scene. “It’s like dance prep where there are set moves which are orchestrated. So, where do the hands go, in what position should each performer be, what are the barriers so that private parts don’t graze. The better you know them, the safer you feel, the better you perform. Every detail was discussed thoroughly and after that there could be no changes. It also reduced the possibility of retakes.”

She says that work begins where a script would say “they make love passionately on the beach” “What does this entail? Will they be nude or under beach towels? The intent of the scene had to be clearly stated. Depending on the scene, there was a strict close-set protocol where only essential crew was allowed. A lovemaking scene usually had the two performers, the DOP, the sound recordist, the director and myself. Eliminating people was important to ensure a safe environment.”

In the post-#MeToo world, her own hiring, Cutting believes, helps establish the idea of setting boundaries for artistes. “Defining consent is top priority now. Every actor has different boundaries and my job was to ensure the scene supports the story and is not gratuitous. No actor should be compelled or pushed into a scene. Sometimes, producers, even in the West, would pressure to show more; something that the performer on that day may not have wanted to do. Productions might want to push them to hold up to their contract but my job is to ensure they feel safe and consequently negotiate on scenes. Sometimes changing shooting angles can help say the same story, without making anyone feel uncomfortable. I am now getting called at the audition level itself to familiarise actors with what they are walking into. They can say no right at the start if they wish.”

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.