Showing posts with label Made In Heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Made In Heaven. Show all posts
My phone didn’t ring for eight months after Animal-Siddhant Karnick
4:35 PM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2026)
A blockbuster is often expected to change the fortunes of everyone associated with it. After playing Ranbir Kapoor’s brother-in-law in Animal (2023), Siddhant Karnick believed the film would finally mark the breakthrough he had spent two decades working towards. Instead, what followed was eight months of complete silence.
Looking back at the period after Animal, he says, “I’d had a strong year with appreciation for my performances in Adipurush, Made In Heaven and then Animal to close the year. After Animal, I expected the floodgates to open. I thought, ‘Two decades of grinding, it’s finally paying off.’ I waited eight months. Let alone offers, there weren’t even any enquiries. My phone didn’t ring at all. That’s when I realized nobody was coming to give me opportunities. That slap to my fantasy was the best thing that could have happened because it forced me to shift my approach. I stopped thinking like an actor and started thinking like a producer. The difference now is that I’m not waiting for the phone to ring. I’m the one making the calls.”
The setback also prompted Siddhant to take charge of his own career. Since then, he has acted in two French films, an English film as the lead, and has a commercial release slated for December. One of those projects, the French short film The Diggers, earned him two Best Actor awards.
He says, “After two decades in this industry, I realized the best way to have control over your career is to create your own opportunities. Jean Louis Carrasco was the first filmmaker I reached out to. We’ve been creative collaborators for 18 years, ever since a passion project short film that won at the Bodega Film Festival and was selected for the Cannes Short Film Corner. Together we developed The Diggers, a 24-minute suspense thriller about an Indian immigrant in Paris who gets pulled into the Parisian underworld. What we’ve shot is essentially Act Two of a feature film, with Acts One and Three currently in development.”
While the recognition has been gratifying, Siddhant believes its true value lies in what it signals to the industry.
“The awards are gratifying, but more importantly, they’re validation. They tell financiers and distributors that this team, this story and this execution have both commercial and critical viability. That’s what matters to me at this stage of my career,” he concludes.
66 hard disks worth Rs 13 lakhs vanish from Zoya Akhtar’s office
10:04 AM
Hardware containing unreleased footage vanishes from Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s production house; staffer sold 24 drives for Rs 20k apiece
Anish Patil (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 26, 2026)
In an alleged data theft that has raised concerns over digital security in the entertainment industry, 66 hard disks containing film-production material, edited footage, advertisement projects and unreleased content allegedly went missing from the Bandra office of filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s production house Tiger Baby Digital LLP.
Based on a complaint filed by the company’s executive assistant and HR administrator Mehjabeen Mushtaq Shaikh, Bandra police registered an FIR against Mohammad Shahid Azim Khan and Borivali resident Ritesh Suresh Shah (44). Police said both accused have been arrested and remanded to police custody till May 29.
According to investigators, Shah had allegedly purchased 24 of the stolen hard disks from Khan for Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 each. Police suspect some of the hard disks may have been sold in the grey market.
The theft came to light on May 21 after staff members were unable to locate certain hard disks required for ongoing work. A subsequent inspection of storage cabinets allegedly revealed several empty and damaged hard-disk boxes inside the office premises.
Investigators said the company maintained an inventory of 119 hard disks, of which 66 were allegedly missing. The drives, ranging from 16TB to 72TB in storage capacity, reportedly contained raw shooting footage, edited scenes, post-production material, advertisement films, archival content, backups and completed movie data linked to film and OTT productions.
Sources said some of the missing drives allegedly contained unreleased and work-in-progress content, raising concerns over possible leaks and unauthorized circulation.
During internal questioning, Khan allegedly admitted to stealing 24 hard disks over the past five months, police said. However, investigators are yet to trace the remaining missing drives.
Police are also examining whether any data was copied, transferred or leaked before the hard disks disappeared. Cyber experts may be consulted to determine whether the material was accessed externally or circulated online.
Investigators said the allegedly stolen data included footage, rough edits, scene cuts and project files linked to productions such as Made In Heaven and Ghost Stories, along with advertisement campaigns associated with beauty and digital-content companies.
Police are also probing the possible role of another office employee after suspicions were raised internally regarding access to some of the missing drives. However, officials said no conclusions have yet been reached regarding his involvement.
When contacted, complainant Mehjabeen Shaikh declined to comment on the matter.
DCP Mohit Garg confirmed the arrests. Bandra police are now trying to recover the missing hard disks and determine whether the data was duplicated, misused or circulated through any organised network.
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THE TIMES OF INDIA (May 26, 2026)
Mumbai: Two men were arrested on Monday over the alleged theft of 66 hard disks worth Rs 13 lakh from the Bandra office of Bollywood filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti.
Police said one of them, Mohammad Shahid Khan, had worked at the filmmakers’ office as a support staffer for the past seven years, while the other, Ritesh, purchased the stolen property from him.
Police registered an FIR on Sunday based on a statement by an executive assistant working at Akhtar and Kagti’s production house, Tiger Baby Digital LLP. There are 11 employees, four of whom are support staffers.
According to the FIR, the production house stores data of shoots from films and commercials in hard disks that are kept at the Bandra office. The complainant said she had placed all the hard disks in proper order in the office cupboard in Nov 2025. Thereafter, whenever hard disks were required, Khan was asked to fetch them.
On May 21, other employees at the production house asked Khan to fetch a particular hard disk, which he couldn’t get, according to the FIR. The complainant then checked the cupboard and discovered that some of the boxes in which hard disks had been kept were partially burnt. But neither were there hard disks in them nor was there any burn mark on the cupboard.
The other employees then performed an audit and discovered that 66 hard disks were missing, some of which contained data from films, OTT shows and commercials shot by the production house. The filmmakers were informed and the support staff was quizzed.
According to the FIR, Khan admitted to stealing 24 hard disks over the past five months and selling them to Ritesh, who is based out of Borivali. He did not admit to stealing the rest. Bandra police were then informed.
BNS charges of theft by servant of property in possession of employer and retaining or receiving stolen property have been invoked against Khan and Ritesh.
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Cops arrest two, including employee of filmmaker’s production house, after devices worth around Rs. 13 lakhs disappear from cupboard
Dinesh Vaktania (MID-DAY; May 26, 2026)
The Bandra police arrested two men in connection with the theft of film shoot hard disks worth around Rs 13 lakh from Tiger Baby Digital LLP, the production house owned by filmmaker-producer Zoya Akhtar and screenwriter Reema Kagti.
The complainant, Mehjabeen Mushtaq Sheikh, 36, works as an executive assistant and HR admin at the company. Important film, advertisement, and shoot-related data were stored in the hard disks kept at the Bandra West office.
Theft comes to light
According to the police, on May 21, 2026, around 4.30 pm, a hard disk required for work could not be found. A check of the office cupboard revealed several hard disks were missing, while only a few burnt cardboard boxes were found inside. During verification, police discovered that 66 out of 119 hard disks were missing from the office.
Staff questioned
Suspicion fell on two members of the company’s support staff, who were questioned by police. During interrogation, one employee allegedly confessed to stealing 25 hard disks over the past five months.
Police said the accused sold the hard disks to a Borivali resident for Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 each. CCTV footage from the company office has also been seized for investigation.
Two arrested
The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Shahid Azim Khan, an employee at the production house, and Ritesh Shah, 44, a Borivali resident who allegedly purchased the hard disks.
Senior Inspector Ravindra Salunkhe of Bandra police station said, “We have arrested both accused, including the employee who stole the hard disks from the company. Further investigation is underway.”
Since Animal, biggest change has been that I no longer have to queue up for auditions-Sidhaant Karnick
2:19 PM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; October 11, 2024)
Looking from the outside, one of the most dazzling aspects of showbiz is the fame that comes with it. However, for Sidhaant Karnick, fame is more of a job hassle. It can elevate you one day and drop you the next without warning. He quickly learnt to keep his distance from it, even though a 14-year-long robust television career makes him more than deserving of it.
He says, “I have seen what fame does. It’s a crazy intoxication, and I knew it was something to be wary of.”
‘Despite the tempting offers on TV, I needed to transition into cinema’
He has come a long way from doing catalogue shoots for Rs. 100 per shirt to featuring alongside stars like Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in ‘Animal’ and Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan in ‘Adipurush’. He reflects, “After stepping back from television, I had to find ways to sustain myself between projects. I would do these shoots where I would model 50 shirts and earn Rs. 5000, which would keep me afloat for a week.”
Discussing the challenges of switching from television to films, Sidhaant recounts, “After the TV show ‘Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani’ (2016), I had many offers, but they all seemed similar. That’s when the switch happened in my mind. I realized that I needed to move into cinema. It wasn’t easy – two years passed, and I kept busy with workshops, web auditions and rejections. One evening, I received a call for a TV show. The money was tempting, but there was nothing innovative, and I instinctively rejected it. I spent the next two months in regret, but then I received a call for a Swiss film. It was exactly the kind of work that I wanted to do.”
‘Favouritism isn’t unique to our film industry’
When it comes to favouritism or nepotism within the industry, Sidhaant has a rather balanced view. He says, “If I were an industrialist, I would naturally want my children to take over my business, regardless of the competence of other employees. This is the nature of the world and not unique to our industry. Success involves both luck and preparation. Even industry insiders, after three flops behind them, have to work harder to stay afloat. It’s an open and inclusive industry. Becoming an actor is probably the easiest thing in the world – it doesn’t mandate any specialized education or degree.”
‘I stopped seeing my co-actors as stars and started regarding them as professionals’
The conversation shifts to one of the most talked-about films in recent times, ‘Animal’. So, how has it been sharing the screen with top Bollywood stars?
“I was intimidated at first. However, as I began working closely with them, I stopped seeing them as stars and started regarding them as professionals. I saw Ranbir being such a professional, and I respect that man so much for it. During a scene in the scorching summer of Haryana in May, I saw him behind the camera, waiting patiently and giving me cues. That’s the respect I received as a co-actor,” Sidhaant recounts. He adds, “Since ‘Animal’, the biggest change has been that I no longer have to queue up for auditions. I used to wait alongside 50 other people, but now it’s much better. Maybe after winning a few awards, they’ll just cast me without an audition (laughs!)”
‘I am happy with the opportunities I am receiving’
However, does it bother him to play roles that are so different from the hero persona he carefully crafted on TV? “I don’t question it because I am happy with the opportunities I am receiving. Even in ‘Thappad’, I played the male lead’s brother. My idea was to work with filmmaker Anubhav Sinha. If I am hired as a wife-beater (‘Made In Heaven’), then I have to be the best wife-beater on camera. If I start worrying about how people will perceive me based on my characters, I am diluting the craft,” he signs off.
Nobody gives you a chance just because they love you-Sanjay Kapoor
8:02 AM
Amid resurgence of many ’90s stars, House of Lies actor Sanjay Kapoor says only those who were focused throughout their career have reclaimed their place in the movies
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; June 7, 2024)
Merry Christmas, Murder Mubarak, and now House Of Lies—Sanjay Kapoor has had a release every two months in the year so far. That’s a lot by any standard. To the actor, it’s a reaffirmation that perseverance always pays off.
“It’s not by chance that I did Bloody Daddy [2023], Made In Heaven 2, Merry Christmas, and so on. I have worked my ass off. It’s 30 years of experience, focus and perseverance [at work]. In the last one year, I have worked with directors Sriram Raghavan, Zoya Akhtar, Neeraj Ghaywan, Prakash Jha and Homi Adajania. People are happy even if they get to work with two or three such directors in their lifetime,” says the actor, who leads the Zee5 murder mystery.
The industry is witnessing a resurgence of several ’90s stars. While Bobby Deol made an assured comeback with Aashram and Animal (2023), Manisha Koirala recently headlined Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Kajol and Raveena Tandon have fronted web series. How does Kapoor view this revival of sorts?
“These actors haven’t got work today by chance. Manisha had done great work even before, be it Bombay [1995] or 1942: A Love Story [1994]. Sometimes, you go through a transitional phase—you aren’t young enough to play a youngster, nor old enough to play an older character. With OTT, people are getting more opportunities. Also, you never heard anything wrong about all the actors you’ve mentioned. You heard their names only with regard to their work. These actors never lost hope or confidence in themselves. Bobby has spoken about it himself. It’s not that all the ’90s actors have made a comeback. There were others who lost their focus. Nobody is here to make your life; you have to build your own. Nobody is giving you a chance just because they love you.”
It’s certainly a wise lesson that his daughter Shanaya Kapoor, who is foraying into movies with Mohanlal’s Vrushabha, can benefit from. Kapoor says his journey has taught Shanaya the importance of being dedicated.
“Shanaya is intelligent. She has seen that this industry is not a bed of roses; you have to work hard. I don’t have to advise her, I’m always there for her. She is focused. During the pandemic, she was taking diction and dance classes. She didn’t waste that time. Mentally, she will be strong because she has seen my journey in the industry.”
I have always been obsessed with the idea of motherhood, but marriage ke baare mein itna socha nahi-Sobhita Dhulipala
8:52 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 14, 2023)
Sobhita Dhulipala who made her debut with Raman Raghav 2.0 in 2016, is currently being talked about for her performances in web shows like The Night Manager 2 and Made In Heaven 2. Sometime ago, the dusky beauty who has been seen in films across industries, in one of her interviews had said, “There’s always been an obsession over fair skin here.” In a conversation with us, she shares her views on the skin colour discussion, breaking perception, marriage and more.
‘Remarks on my complexion never made me feel less’
Sobhita, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, says, “I didn’t even know I was dusky or where I stood on the colour shade chart until someone told me that (you are dusky). See, if I go to another part of the country, as per their standards, I am considered gori. Amongst my schoolmates, I was on the fairer side. When I came to Mumbai, I was considered dusky. So, it all depends on where you are. I never felt less by such remarks. I feel dusky looks very sexy on men and women. All this discussion (on skin colour) has only exposed me to the preferences that existed and made me think ki achcha, if this (dark skin) is not something that they are looking for, then what else can I bring to the table as a performer to compensate for the gap that they are feeling. That has been my attitude and it has served me in a healthy way.”
‘Even if I stick out like a sore thumb, I will be a sore thumb with a ring on it!’
Sobhita has not restricted herself to one film industry. Apart from starring in Hindi films, she was also seen in Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil movies like Goodachari, Moothon and Ponniyin Selvan 1 and 2.
“You know I tried to belong (here) in the beginning. I was new to Mumbai, and I didn’t know anything. So, I wanted to be included in this industry and I was like koi toh mujhe apne group mein le le (laughs). Over a period of time, I lost the keeda of wanting to be included in a circle or get a stamp of belonging to a group. I have lost interest in trying to cater to perception. I find it very boring. I think it is important to live your life and open your heart to amazing new experiences and take risks as life is too short. So, even if I stick out like a sore thumb, I will be a sore thumb with a ring on it!”
‘I have not been strategic or scheming’
Glad to have had an opportunity to explore south projects, Sobhita shares, “I got to do an arthouse cinema with Moothon and a commercial blockbuster with Kurup. And then something like a PS 1 and 2... these have been such amazing experiences. It only motivates me to make these choices because I have not been strategic or scheming. I have genuinely acted on my instinct and that has served me well.”
‘I always thought that marriages are weird’
One of her recent projects Made In Heaven 2 featured Sobhita as a wedding planner for high-profile shaadis. Ask her if being a part of this show has led to a change in her perception of marriages and she replies, “I always thought that marriages are weird (laughs). I have always been obsessed with the idea of motherhood, but marriage ke baare mein itna socha nahi. However, obviously... it will happen one day (laughs). Ek cheez toh hai ki... I do not look at marriage as an end goal in life. Many tend to look at it like the ultimate goal of their life, aur waise nahi hona chahiye. Yes, I have started feeling strongly about it, especially after doing a project like Made In Heaven.”
‘Social media gives me unnecessary anxiety’
Lately, her personal life has been written about, and being a very private person, she has never really spoken about it. When asked how she deals with such situations, especially on social media, the Kaalakaandi actress says, “I deal with it by not being on social media much. It doesn’t contribute to my life productively and gives me unnecessary anxiety. Being off social media just cuts you off from all the negativity because it is the platform where it all gets built up.”
Neeraj Ghaywan’s work is important, but this is my life-Yashica Dutt
8:28 AM
Dalit author Yashica Dutt on the Made In Heaven episode supposedly based on her
Chandrima Pal (BOMBAY TIMES; August 18, 2023)
Ever since the second season of Made In Heaven arrived with band, baaja and designer lehngas, audiences have been busy picking their favourite moments, weddings and dialogues from the show. The most talked-about episode at the moment features the compelling story of a Dalit writer and activist, who is feted globally for embracing her caste identity and 'coming out', but faces predictable prejudices back home when she wishes to marry in a Buddhist inter-caste ceremony.
While showrunner Neeraj Ghaywan has received a fair bit of appreciation for his presentation of the feisty Pallavi Menke (played by Radhika Apte), he has also come under heavy criticism from Dalit writer, activist Yashica Dutt, whose life and work has been at the heart of the story.
In a post that went viral earlier this week, Yashica expresses her dismay at how Neeraj and the production house used her words and her book 'Coming out as a Dalit', her experiences (studied in Columbia and embraced her Dalit identity, grandmother was engaged with manual cleaning) to create a powerful narrative, and yet did not acknowledge her or seek her permission before doing so.
Though Neeraj later doffed a hat to Yashica in a social media post, he has not responded to the author's call for credits and declined to comment on the controversy when we reached out to him.
Meanwhile, in a conversation with this publication, Yashica spoke at length about why she feels it is important to call out the Hindi TV/film tradition of "taking anything from anywhere to create its narratives" without due credits and why she wants show creators
Excerpts...
In 2021, you praised Neeraj Ghaywan for his depiction of a Dalit woman in Geeli Pucchi as part of the Ajeeb Daastans anthology. You wrote how watching Konkona Sen's character Bharti Mandal acknowledge that she is a Dalit, was a "cathartic" experience for you. Now we have the same filmmaker, whose depiction of another Dalit woman, Pallavi Menke, has caused you "heartbreak" since it strips you of your identity and your voice by not acknowledging you as the inspiration behind the protagonist. What changed between the two shows you think, and why?
That is for the makers of Made In Heaven to answer. All I can say is, the difference between the two characters is that Bharti Mandal was a composite of a queer and Dalit character. Perhaps many. Pallavi is identifiably a single person - me. Ever since that episode went on air, I have been receiving hundreds of messages and calls from those who know me, or have followed my work and read my book, saying that Pallavi Menke walks like me, talks like me. But I am never acknowledged.
I support Neeraj's work - it is important. The Dalit discourse is important and the Dalit women characters he portrays, is important. But it is a separate issue. Here, everybody can see, Pallavi is a living person. Since I live in the public eye, and have some works published to my name, people assume I have access to wealth and power. But I am a journalist and writer who has had to walk the talk. I have lived the shame and talked about it in the public space - from a family involved in manual cleaning to talking about it, owning my identity on an international platform - that's my leap.
Did the makers of the show reach out to you before or after the show, or respond to your social media post seeking acknowledgement?
No. Neeraj had posted on his IG before I posted about it. So, no formal communication from the production house or the streaming platform so far.
Were you ever approached by any other production house for TV or film rights of your book?
In the past four years since the book was published in India, it has had a huge impact. I was approached by a few fairly big production houses to adapt the book into a show. Especially after I was conferred the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar. But I was still not ready to relive the trauma of having lived through my experiences and telling my story. It is still very fresh and I am not ready for it. Besides, the book is yet to be published in the US and other regions and I did not wish to undermine the chances of readers discovering my work by putting it out there right now. But regardless of what happens to the book, it is important to understand that while there are many who see me in Pallavi Menke, there are millions watching the show, who will not know that this is me, my life's work, because the show runners have not acknowledged me. I still have the TV and digital licensing rights, and I am still trying to figure out what to do next.
But you also write in your post that the work Neeraj has been doing is important.
Absolutely. I am not cancelling or calling out, but calling in with respect and empathy. The book is still fresh, alive, breathing. What they have done is created a likeness of a person who is very much present. I may not have got married in the Buddhist tradition as depicted in the episode or married to an Indian, but everything else about Pallavi is me. This episode is an homage without any acknowledgement. And that is not acceptable.
You have written in your book, and also in your social media posts, about how much the cinematic representation of Dalit characters has changed over the years.
Yes, if you look at Dukhi (Sadgati, Satyajit Ray) or Kachra (Lagaan, Ashutosh Gowariker), these are characters without a voice, or agency. They suffer in silence and accept their destiny, surrender to the system. And while Tamil cinema has had a longer history with unapologetically Dalit characters, Bollywood is now at a powerful moment as far as Dalit representation is concerned. When was the last time you had a Dalit character say "Personal is political," on screen? That merits a celebration, even as we must continue to have these conversations.
Till the time of going to press, neither Amazon or the show creators were willing to comment.
I will sell tickets in black, for people to come and see Salman Khan's wedding-Arjun Mathur
3:13 PM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 10, 2023)
Four years after Made In Heaven dropped on Amazon Prime Video, creators Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti are back with its second season. The show that touches upon socially relevant issues against the backdrop of Indian weddings, drops online today. Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur who play wedding planners and their on-screen teammates – Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi – talk about their reunion and what’s in store for the audience this time around.
‘It’s quite an extravagant show’
Speaking about why it took four long years to return, Sobhita shares, “It’s quite an extravagant show. It’s set against the wedding backdrop, which requires a large setup and grand set designs. There is no joy in compromising and putting something out just because kaam khatam karna hai. It’s made with love and sometimes it takes time.”
Arjun adds, “We faced two lockdowns during our shoots. The shooting was planned for eight months, but took around 18 months. We shot in extraordinary circumstances, completely out of our control, but finally, we are glad that we are here.”
‘The new cast members and characters bring in a lot of freshness’
Apart from the main cast, the season will also feature Mrunal Thakur, Radhika Apte, Dia Mirza Rekhi, Pulkit Samrat and Sanjay Kapoor, among others, as guests.
Says an excited Shivani, “It feels nice and fresh, because otherwise wohi chehre aapko dikhte rehte hai. The new cast members and characters will bring in freshness.”
Arjun adds, “We embrace these new characters and include them into our family. We become the hosts. After seeing season one, most actors were ready to jump in and take on the opportunity.”
Shashank shares, “From the newer lot, I enjoyed working with Radhika, Imaad Shah, Sarah Jane Dias, Mrunal… you learn something from every person that you work with.”
It’s been a breakthrough show for me: Arjun
Arjun’s performance won him a nomination at the International Emmy Awards 2020 in the Best Actor category. He shares, “This has been a breakthrough show for me. After watching the trailer of the second season, I had to pinch myself. It is a matter of great privilege because as actors, we aspire to headline shows and shoulder the responsibility of big projects!”
Shivani adds, “I have grown up watching Zoya’s work. I have been a part of couple of projects, but after this show, people have started calling me Jazz (her character in the show).”
On-screen wedding planners Sobhita and Arjun take a rapid Bollywood quiz
What’s the best Bollywood wedding you have ever seen?
Sobhita: None, because I am never invited to one!
Arjun: I am a big fan of Virushka’s (Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma) wedding. I have followed it on social media.
What’s your all-time favourite wedding ritual?
Sobhita: In our Telugu culture, there is a ritual where a bride, after the Gauri puja, is put in a basket and all the uncles carry her to the mandap. It really looks cute; the bride in the basket looks like a doll.
Arjun: I just want to eat and go home. Just eating good food at a wedding makes me happy.
What’s your favourite location for a destination wedding?
Sobhita: I just love the traditional part of a wedding. I want to do the puja and spend the money on vacationing. Mujhe destination wedding nahi karna hai… kitna paisa waste hota hai!
Arjun: I love beach weddings.
As wedding planners, if the two of you are assigned to design Salman Khan’s wedding, how would you go about it?
Sobhita: Oh, very exciting! There will be so much hype around this wedding. It will be fun heading the marketing division of this shaadi.
Arjun: I think I will sell tickets in black, for people to come and see this wedding (laughs).
A perfect song for the sangeet night would be?
Sobhita: Any massy Tamil hit number
Arjun: Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna
A funny line on your wedding invitation card would read?
Sobhita: Showing up is not necessary!
Arjun: Empty stomachs are not compulsory!
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Reprising his role in Made in Heaven 2, Emmy-nominated actor Arjun on how the finest directors came together to service the script
Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; August 10, 2023)
“Thank God we are here,” smiles Arjun Mathur, as the second season of Made in Heaven drops online today, over four years since its opening season. Something tells us the sentiment is echoed by the audience, who lapped up the first edition that revolved around big, fat Indian weddings and two wedding planners—essayed by Mathur and Sobhita Dhulipala—at the centre of it all. The delay between the two instalments was due to the pandemic.
“Every time someone tested positive, we had to stop. And if you lose one actor’s dates, it throws the schedule astray because the show has an ensemble cast,” explains Mathur.
The actor’s performance as Karan Mehra had earned him an International Emmy nomination in 2020. Was it easy to reprise the character after such a long gap? “In your mind, you can be a bit anxious, wondering whether you will find it again. But once you get on the set, one shot is all it takes. When they call for ‘cut’, you know you’ve got it. The character is so beautifully developed on paper [that] it becomes easy.”
Mathur adds that creator-director duo Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti have made his character’s journey darker this time around. “It’s more personal, hence more intense. Zoya, Reema and I know that I relate to Karan Mehra quite a bit.”
The beauty of the Amazon Prime Video series—also starring Kalki Koechlin and Jim Sarbh—is that it beautifully includes different voices as five directors examine the ills of society against the backdrop of dreamy weddings. This time around, Neeraj Ghaywan of Masaan (2015) fame joins Akhtar, Kagti, Alankrita Shrivastava and Nitya Mehra to share the directorial duties. Mathur admits that collaborating with such fine directors is a dream come true for the artiste in him.
“If an actor gets to work with even one of them, it’s a blessing. Here, we’ve got six of them [including Prashant Nair in the last season]! Things can be difficult when multiple people disagree, but here, the script is the master. Zoya, Reema and Alankrita have written the show, so they’re all on the same page. We had days when we would be shooting different parts with [different] directors, but it was easy because they were all in sync.”
It’s a miracle that despite so many factors, we shot Made In Heaven 2-Jim Sarbh
8:33 AM
Despite the four-year gap between seasons, Jim says writing of Made In Heaven 2 made it easy to reprise role
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; August 6, 2023)
Four years is a long gap between two seasons. And it feels longer when you’re awaiting the second edition of a well-crafted series like Made In Heaven. But Jim Sarbh, who reprises his role of Adil Khanna in the upcoming season, says the delay was inevitable.
“The pandemic delayed the shoot, and then [there were] delays because the filming was riddled with [many issues]. We shot in Delhi and several tricky places. It’s a miracle that [despite] so many factors, we shot the series. The makers were strictly adhering to the protocols,” shares the actor.
The opening season of the Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti-created series played out against the backdrop of grand weddings as two planners—essayed by Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur—organised one shaadi after another. Sarbh played the character of Adil Khanna whose marriage with Dhulipala’s Tara is headed towards divorce. Reprising his character after four years wasn’t difficult, says the actor.
“It’s almost like an old record that you used to listen to. As soon as you put it back on the gramophone and set that needle, you’re back in the groove. The character is written [so well]. I tried to stay true to those moments as best I could.”
This time around, the International Emmy-nominated show has an addition—Neeraj Ghaywan. How was it working with the acclaimed director? “It was interesting to see how he saw the characters and hear his perspective on it. With Zoya, Nitya [Mehra], Alankrita [Shrivastava] and Reema, there is a lot of comfort because of having worked together in the past. You know how they think of the character and how they would break down the scene,” he explains.
My relatives can finally stop hounding me about what’s happening in Made In Heaven 2-Shashank Arora
8:13 AM
With Made In Heaven 2 set to drop online four years after its opening season, Shashank on reprising his role of a wedding videographer
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 28, 2023)
With the second season of Made In Heaven being officially announced this week, Shashank Arora is feeling a sense of relief. “My nephew, nieces and aunts can finally stop hounding me about what’s happening in the new season,” he laughs.
The Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur-led series, which dropped online in 2019, won wide praise for its ability to examine society’s ills through the story of two wedding planners. Creators Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti had initially planned to take the second edition on floors soon after, but the pandemic caused a long delay.
A four-year wait between two seasons can be difficult for artistes. Was it difficult for Arora to reprise the role of Kabir, a street-smart wedding videographer?
“Kabir wasn’t a product of random luck. The creators and writers put in meticulous work to build every aspect of his personality. Four years later, I know this character [intimately]. I remembered the elements I had worked on. But this time around, Kabir has evolved because I have evolved too,” he says.
The actor admits that the opulent show was a departure from his gritty offerings. “I had been drawn to niche subjects until then. But with Made In Heaven, I experienced love from the masses for the first time.”
While the drama will drop on Amazon Prime Video next month, Arora will move on to the next season of Tanaav, an official adaptation of the hit Israeli series, Fauda. The actor says the powerful script and director Sudhir Mishra were reason enough to join the thriller.
“I saw Junaid [his character] as a boy who [was looking for] home. This time when I received the script, I was unsure how to approach it because my character dies in this season. I am going in, looking for closure.”
My role in Made In Heaven is a tribute to the trans community-Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju
7:58 AM
With her debut in Made In Heaven, trans actor and activist Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju wants to drive home the point that queer stories are best told through the members of the community
Alisha Vaswani (MID-DAY; July 16, 2023)
“Nothing about us, without us,” says trans rights activist, social media star and budding actress, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju. “Too often, trans people aren’t involved in the process of their own storytelling, when sharing trans stories on screen should, first and foremost, be about normalising being trans and drawing empathy to trans lives.”
Gummaraju, who will be appearing on season 2 of Prime’s highly acclaimed series Made In Heaven, will soon be making history as one of the first trans women on a major OTT show. “My role is a tribute to the trans community, and my way of waving the trans flag high in the Indian entertainment space. It’s also about creating more opportunities for trans people in showbiz, and I intend to champion this cause more strongly going forward.”
She emphasizes the importance of representing authentic trans voices in Indian media, saying, “Trans people should have a place in storytelling. Not just as actors, but there should be space for them to be hired as script consultants, writers and directors.”
Citing trans Orange is the New Black actress Laverne Cox, and Pose actress MJ Rodriguez as inspirations behind her work, she continues, “In the past, especially in India, cisgender men and women have played trans people, and the stories told have been unempathetic at best and cruel at worst.”
There have been many instances in Indian film and TV where trans women have been portrayed by cisgender men, with the most infamous contemporary example being Akshay Kumar’s role as a trans woman in Laxmii.
“In an ideal world, anyone should be able to play anyone,” she tells us. “If trans people had the same opportunities as cis people, there would be no problem. However, in the real world, there is a real dearth of opportunity for trans people in the entertainment world, that we need to account for. It’s time trans people are given the opportunity to play trans characters, themselves.”
Gummaraju also works in the medical field, and explains that she auditioned for Made In Heaven at the beginning of her internship at a hospital. Ultimately, she landed a role as a wedding planner in the highly anticipated second season of the show, which stars Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur. “When the audition worked out, it was unreal,” she tells mid-day. “At the time, I was a sleepless intern who had nothing to lose.”
In the upcoming season, the 26-year old will be playing out a narrative that tackles the theme of transphobia. “It’s a storyline that obviously hits very close to home,” she tells us, “but that’s what makes this real. I don’t have to perform the ‘transness’ of this character, because I am a trans woman. This is a show that, finally, takes attention away from the shock-value of including a trans character, and instead puts forth a story that displays simple human emotion.”
She adds, “Through this role, I want to show people that trans women are women, and deserve every right to be treated as such.”
My good looks are becoming a hindrance to the kind of work I want to do-Pulkit Samrat
3:18 PM
Pulkit Samrat says layered, complex roles — which he is keen on taking up — are not offered to him much
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 8, 2023)
Having spent over a decade in films, actor Pulkit Samrat is grateful for the films he’s done. But, he rues not being considered for more layered characters and blames his “good looks” for being the biggest challenge when it comes to getting the kind of roles he desires.
“Over the years, I have realized that sometimes, my good looks are becoming a hindrance to the kind of work I want to do,” the 39-year-old continues, “When people think about a hero, singing, [fighting] against the world and winning the girl, all that stuff comes to me. But, there is a lack of layered and thoughtful characters, and more thoughtful films, which I’m very fond of.”
Taking the small screen route to enter showbiz, Samrat made his film debut with the romantic comedy Bittoo Boss in 2012 and shot to fame with the Fukrey franchise. Going forward, the actor hopes to tilt the needle in his direction through his upcoming films.
“With my roles in Made In Heaven (web series) and Fukrey 3, I hope people will see both sides of me and offer me stuff that has more to do with my presence on the screen rather than just my looks,” says Samrat, stating that he is “very hungry for challenging roles”: “I got a chance to play a very different character in Bejoy Nambiar’s Taish (2020). He saw something in me that I could play and people loved it. I hope I get to do more such things, so that I can surprise people and myself.”
The actor admits work has been slow after the pandemic, but is now picking up pace. “Bahut sara kaam karna hai kyunki bahut sara pyaar chahiye mujhe. After the lockdown, everything has been a little slow. Now, things are back to normal and you will see much more of me,” he wraps up.
Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti have the same vision-Elnaaz Norouzi
8:48 AM
Eagerly waiting for the second edition of Made In Heaven, Elnaaz Norouzi on working with Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; April 23, 2023)
It’s been four years since the first season of Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Made In Heaven dropped on Amazon Prime Video, but the wait for the second edition seems endless. However, Iranian-German model-actor Elnaaz Norouzi revealed that the show may finally come sometime in July this year, adding, “It is not entirely confirmed. We don’t have a date as yet, but we know that if anything goes wrong [in July], it should be released by August.”
Eagerly waiting to see her episode, Norouzi shares that her story is the “only one shot in France”. “The episode has beautiful visuals and a fantastic story that is relatable. I love my character, [as] it is different from anything I have done before,” she says, refusing to divulge any further details on the wedding drama that would follow.
“While we were dubbing for it, we were laughing and enjoying [the episode]. We received great feedback. I am just waiting for Zoya to finish, so I can watch it.”
Ask her if Akhtar runs a tight ship on sets, and Norouzi claims that she had a “fantastic time with so many women in the crew”. “Zoya provides a great working environment. When you are working, everyone is [on point] and concentrating on the shot, but the moment there is a break, it is all happy and fun. That is the way I prefer to work. Although I didn’t get to work much with Reema, as Zoya was directing my episode, they are not very different from each other. They have the same vision and both know where they are going,” she says.
I find a lot of projects half-baked and under-developed. Everyone is scared of whom they might offend-Arjun Mathur
7:59 AM
Arjun, who reprises his role in Made In Heaven 2, on being offered ‘half-baked’ projects in the past few years
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; November 16, 2022)
The runaway success of Made In Heaven (2019) put Arjun Mathur on the map, even scoring him an International Emmy nomination in 2020. While others in his place might have gone on a signing spree, the actor has been selective about his projects, featuring in The Gone Game (2020) and Jugaadistan, among others. He laments the lack of exciting offers, understanding that shows of Made In Heaven’s calibre are hard to come by.
“Projects like that are rare. So much has to come together — from the director, writers and performances, to music and producers,” says the actor, adding that his past glory holds little relevance today. “The Emmy nomination happened more than two years ago. It doesn’t mean anything today. What matters is what I am doing today.”
Mathur was recently seen in Amazon miniTV’s short film Don’t Drink & Drive. Even as he gears up to reprise his role as a wedding planner in the second season of the Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti-created series, the actor admits that he has turned down several offers in the interim.
“I say no a lot. I find a lot of projects half-baked and under-developed. [It could be so] because there’s a lot that we aren’t able to say. Everyone is scared of whom they might offend. We want to make art, but we don’t want to defend it with our lives, or pay for it with our career and danger to our families.”
Cameos over full fledged roles for Neelam Kothari
8:31 AM
Time commitment is the basis of Neelam Kothari Soni’s project choices
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 17, 2022)
Neelam Kothari Soni is thoroughly enjoying her second innings as an actor after the success of Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives and is flooded with opportunities. However, she says whenever approached for a project now, the first question she asks is, ‘How many days do you need to shoot my part?’
“My nine-year-old daughter Ahana takes up most of my time. I can’t sign a project that would require me to shoot 40-45 days and not be there for her,” shares the actor, who has done hits films like Love 86, Ilzaam (both 1986) and Khudgarz (1987).
With back-to-back shoots and promotional events, Neelam says family life ended up taking a back seat. “During this time, my daughter and my dad were unwell, and Sameer (Soni; actor-husband) was also busy with shooting. So none of us were available for Ahana. As a result, she’s giving me a cold shoulder (laughs). You know how children have strange ways of expressing emotions,” she elaborates.
That is why the actor is willing to take on cameo roles, which allow her to spend enough time with family: “Work will come and go, but these precious years with family will never return.”
Having said that, she believes “never say never”. “If something extremely interesting comes my way, I might make time,” shares Neelam, who recently wrapped up the shoot of filmmaker Zoya Akhtar’s Made In Heaven season 2, where she shares the screen with her husband.
Though she doesn’t share details about her part, Neelam says she didn’t have to think much before signing it. “I am friends with Zoya. She called me up one day and asked if I was willing to act, and I said, ‘If it’s for you then yes, 100%’,” she concludes.
Our film Dobaaraa has nothing to do with Stranger Things-Pavail Gulati
8:30 AM
Pavail Gulati recounts how Anurag Kashyap offered him Dobaaraa after being impressed by his performance in Made In Heaven
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 12, 2022)
The first time Pavail Gulati received a congratulatory text from Anurag Kashyap was when he worked on Yudh (2014). Years later, the filmmaker reconnected with him after watching his performance in Zoya Akhtar’s Made In Heaven (2019). “He texted me, saying, ‘I loved you in the show. You deserve bigger and better.’ He asked me to meet him after 10 days,” recounts Gulati.
At the time, he had little idea that the meeting would set the stage for the upcoming thriller, Dobaaraa. “I followed up 10 days later, and he texted back at 1.30 am, calling me for a meeting at that hour. He was shooting for Sacred Games 2. I assumed he’d give me a part in it, but then, he told me about Dobaaraa. He said I would play a cop in the film. At the end of the meeting, he said, ‘Lead role hai.’”
A highlight of working on the project was reuniting with Taapsee Pannu after Thappad (2020). “She is so mean to me, and gets immense joy from being so. But that’s the bond we have built over the years. She has become a support system for me.”
Making the adaptation of the Spanish movie, Mirage (2018), was thrilling. “We didn’t see the original film until much later. When you work with Anurag, you have to know how to not prepare. One day, I had a long scene and was fully ready with prep. He scrapped the scene completely. He is eccentric and impulsive, but also encouraging. Every time you do a good scene, he is ready with warm hugs,” laughs Gulati.
After the trailer dropped online, netizens had a field day with memes suggesting that the movie shares similarities with Stranger Things. Are the comparisons daunting? “It is just that one shot [of a child cycling down the road]. Our film has nothing to do with the series.”
Most OTT platforms have hired people who are making bad decisions-Arjun Mathur
8:11 AM
Arjun Mathur, who headlines Jugaadistan, says OTT platforms aren’t exploring their potential as they are trying to woo masses
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; March 22, 2022)
Arjun Mathur is one of the many examples of a true OTT find. After a string of supporting roles in movies, the actor got his due with Made In Heaven, even earning an Emmy nomination along the way. Proud to be part of the OTT boom, Mathur hopes that Indian digital entertainment can keep pace with international content instead of going down the rathole of appealing to the masses. As he headlines Lionsgate Play’s Jugaadistan, the actor discusses the changing face of content.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
How do you reflect on the word ‘jugaad’?
The show used to be called Youth Special initially. Along the way, the title changed to Jugaadistan. The title also seems like a jugaad [laughs]. Everyone has a jugaad these days. In Mumbai, it is almost [the basis of] life. I loved the old title, so did everybody else. But it was changed, and that taught me that at the end of the day, one has no control over these things.
You have been part of an ensemble cast before with Made In Heaven. How different is it from a solo-hero project?
I thoroughly enjoy being part of an ensemble cast. Jugaadistan not only had some talented actors on board, but it also had Gen-Z actors. For the first time in my career, I felt like a veteran actor. It’s energising to be around new blood. They’ve grown up with more modern sensibilities than us. Concepts like solo-lead projects are a thing of the past. To tell a story with real human emotions, you need many characters.
Do you feel the OTT boom has changed the idea of solo-hero projects?
It is trying to [change that outlook]. A project is accomplished with the help of so many people beyond actors — DoP, sound capturer, writers. Actors are merely the vehicle to put the story forward. A lot more credit should be given to the technical crew and the supporting actors.
With the OTT boom, do you think people are jumping on the bandwagon without exploring the true potential of streaming platforms?
As long as the OTT world is not run by simple economics, there is opportunity [for revolutionary content]. But, unfortunately, they are now being run [on the basis of] social media numbers or following. The truth is most OTT platforms have hired people who are making bad decisions. Instead of using the medium to create content that pushes the envelope, people are figuring out how to connect with the masses. They are floundering in their desire to do so. Our audience is international now, so we have to cater to them. Look at what Squid Games [2021] did for South Korea. What is stopping India from achieving something like that? Nothing except that we are thinking narrow. On the other hand, there is Delhi Crime — while it was a show playing out in India, its creative sensibilities made the international audience [sit up and take notice]. That is the most productive way to go forward.
Is it easy to say no when big projects come your way?
It is easy to make up your mind [laughs], but harder to perform the action. Thankfully, we have management teams for that, and we have excuses like dates and economics. No one wants to hear, ‘Sorry, I am not into what you’ve written’. I don’t say that because even if I do not resonate with the material, it doesn’t mean someone else won’t.
How much of the Made In Heaven 2 shoot is left?
We are shooting through the month of March, and then we’ll be done. It has been difficult. We started in February 2021, after many delays due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and witnessed two waves during our shoot.
Do you feel the pressure after the first season’s success?
Any pressure on the makers always trickles down to the entire team, but it doesn’t affect what I do. My approach is to play the character honestly and hope that people connect with it again.
Even before I bagged Gehraiyaan, I had told Deepika Padukone that I am going to do a film with her-Dhairya Karwa
8:20 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; February 3, 2022)
“I guess I have just been lucky,” says Dhairya Karwa, who bagged an envious part in the upcoming film Gehraiyaan. Four years ago, when he arrived in Mumbai from Delhi, he wanted to be a model. However, the city and his love for Bollywood made him pursue a career in films instead. He calls himself lucky because, unlike many other strugglers, Dhairya, since the time he began in 2016, kept getting interesting roles in reputed projects that helped him learn as an actor and get noticed by filmmakers. His upcoming film Gehraiyaan, which releases on Amazon Prime Video on February 11, features him along with Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ananya Panday.
“I was busy cracking exams to head abroad to study in a business school. People used to ask why wasn’t I trying my hand at modelling,” he says, adding, “Once in Mumbai, the kind of welcome I got made me chase a career in acting. I am happy to have scored roles in films like Uri: The Surgical Strike, '83, which was followed by the web show, Made In Heaven. ”
Dhairya says, “Then, when I was offered Gehraiyaan, it felt like a dream come true. It’s like this big Karan Johar project, getting an opportunity to act opposite Deepika, a chance to work with actors like Siddhant and Ananya and getting to learn under a director like Shakun Batra… it’s like every actor’s dream.”
He adds, “I am not a trained actor. I have learnt on the job. The experience and the time I spent on my initial projects prepared me for a film like Gehraiyaan. Now that I look back, the experience and the confidence I gained from my first two films was necessary for me to be the actor that I am today.”
Apart from his work experience, he is thankful to Karan and Deepika, who made him feel extremely comfortable on set. “When I met Karan for the project, he gave me the biggest and the warmest hug. He told me you are here, and you are here for a reason. You are good, now just enjoy it. Don’t take any pressure and keep doing what you are doing. His words were very reassuring and comforting. As for Deepika, I was just smitten by her. She is everything you would expect her to be and more. We know of her as this humongous star and a fabulous actor, yet she’s so simple and warm.”
Dhairya remembers meeting Deepika at the wrap-up party of '83, in which she played Kapil Dev’s (essayed by Ranveer Singh) wife and the former played Ravi Shastri’s part. He shares, “I remember at the party, people were busy clicking pictures with her. I didn’t do that. At one point, I saw she was all by herself. I mustered up the courage, went up to her and told her I am not going to click pictures with you because I am going to do a film with you. At that time, Gehraiyaan was not even being discussed. When I met her for the first time for this film, she was surprised that we indeed were doing a film together.”
Gehraiyaan is creating buzz for its beautifully shot, intimate sequences. Talking about it, Dhairya says, “The credit goes to Shakun, who’s the captain of the ship. For these scenes, we had an intimacy director on board. Intimacy is not a part of the film for a shock value, but because it is essential to the story. We dealt with intimacy with so much care and sensitivity when we performed these scenes. The set felt so safe and secure for us to express ourselves during these sequences.”
The young actor hopes that the film opens up more avenues for him. He says, “Surviving in Mumbai itself is a challenge and Bollywood is an altogether new field for me. Finding your feet can be challenging. But then everything comes with its own challenges. It is all about your outlook towards it. The nature of the business is that it is going to be disheartening for you as the rejections are always going to be more than the acceptance you receive. However, the rejections are never personal. You need to understand that you didn’t suit the part and hence you didn’t qualify for the project. That’s it. But at the end of the day, we are humans and have a heart. We tend to get affected, and at times, it does break you. Instead of crying over the opportunities that I missed, I celebrate the fact that I got to be a part of three fabulous films. That’s all that matters.”
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Teaming up with Deepika in Gehraiyaan, Dhairya discusses approaching director Shakun’s take on infidelity without judgment
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; February 3, 2022)
Landing a Dharma film is every upcoming actor’s dream. But for Dhairya Karwa, being part of a Shakun Batra film was a bigger high. The actor, who plays one of the leads in Gehraiyaan, says it was a joy to be directed by Batra so early on in his career. “I have been an admirer of his work. I remember watching Kapoor & Sons [2016]; it’s a film that hits you hard. Apart from being a bright mind, Shakun is also a warm person. Another sterling quality of Shakun is that he is open to ideas, and always considers your input. We all surrendered to him because we trusted his vision,” he says.
In the Amazon Prime Video offering, Batra teams up with Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Karwa to examine infidelity as he tells the story of two modern-day couples. True to his style, the director is more interested in observing the nuances of such relationships than in judging them. “We have been so conditioned by the conventional take on love stories. Here, it’s a take on modern-day adult relationships. We are not trying to judge anybody; instead, we are trying to look at things as they are. Some [viewing] from a societal lens may [deem] them [morally] bad characters. But we are merely observing relationships, not promoting [infidelity],” says the actor.
Karwa, who previously featured in 83 (2020) and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), heaps praise on co-star Padukone. “Someone in my position would think it would be intimidating [to work with her]. [But my fears vanished] after I met her. She is warm, considerate and immediately makes you feel comfortable.”
Made In Heaven team leaves for France today after a year-long delay
8:20 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 21, 2021)
The two-year-long wait has been testing the patience of people who loved Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Made in Heaven. The team was scheduled to kick-start the shoot for the second instalment in April 2020, but the Coronavirus pandemic played spoilsport and derailed the plans for a year-and-a-half.
Earlier this week, Akhtar and her team of co-directors and production unit landed in France to wrap-up an extensive, long-pending schedule. A source informs that the shoot for the Amazon Prime Video series will be canned in different locations within France. “Sobhita [Dhulipala] left for France on November 19. They will be shooting in Nice and Cannes, among other places, before returning to Mumbai. It’s a 21-day schedule for now, but the team is hoping to finish early with days to spare.”
The shoot will revolve around an elaborate destination wedding sequence organised by Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur’s characters. The second season will also feature Dia Mirza, Radhika Apte, Jacqueline Fernandez, Mrunal Thakur and Neelam Kothari in different episodes.
Uunchai, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, Raksha Bandhan: Delhi-NCR a hot favourite for film, web shoots
8:34 AM
Capital’s lanes will be featured in a slew of upcoming projects — both in films and web shows — as makers set camp here
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 9, 2021)
Delhi is back to on the top places-to-be list for makers of films and web show. A series of projects have recently been or are being shot or are gearing up for filing at various locations across Delhi-NCR.
Bollywood star Akshay Kumar recently revealed that he is shooting for RakshaBandhan in the Capital as he shared a video of him running barefoot on the busy streets of Chandni Chowk. We have also learnt that the shoot of this Aanand L Rai-directed film will go on till October 15 and it will feature, Faridabad, Laxmi Bai Nagar, and Dilli Haat.
Another biggie, Uunchai featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Anupam Kher and Parineeti Chopra, is ready to set camp in the city. The schedule will begin in November, and locations such as South Ex, Greater Kailash and Aerocity will set the background for the movie.
The digital medium, too, is not behind in locking Delhi as their shooting ground. Web film Khufiya, which will be directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, will be filmed in Delhi, too. Line producer Navmeet Singh says the unit will be here till October 20. The makers of Season 2 of Delhi Crime and season 3 of Breathe will also start shoot soon in the Capital.
Even the southern film industry is preferring Delhi now. Tamil actor Vijay shot for his Tamil film Beast here for five days in September. Line producer Ravi Sarin says it has become easier to shoot in the city now. “The situation is better than before, because of Delhi Police and Swati Sharma (Secretary- Tourism, Delhi Government). The restrictions have eased a little, and people can shoot now,” he tells us.
The shoot of the second season of the web show Made In Heaven is currently underway, while another web show Escape wrapped up its shoot. Filmmaker Luv Ranjan’s untitled next, with Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor also completed its shoot in the Capital.
Manoj Bajpayee’s web film Despatch got done with the Delhi schedule in September, and their locations included Paharganj and Bengali Market.
OTT shows decode Delhi's diversity: "Delhi carries many cities within it"
8:23 AM
Abhimanyu Mathur (DELHI TIMES; September 11, 2021)
One would assume that a comedy about living independently, a satire on the lavish lifestyles of the elite, and a true-crime story of the most horrific gang-rape in recent memory would have nothing in common. However, the three do have one thematic connection – their geographical setting is Delhi. With the proliferation of web content over the last few years, there have been many shows set in the national capital. Filmmakers say that Delhi, as a location, offers contrastingly different landscape and architecture, ranging from small bylanes to broad highways and from crowded slums to plush localities and highrises. This means that shows set in Delhi are not just diverse in terms of locales but also themes and genres. The creative minds behind the various OTT shows set and shot in the capital tell us what makes Delhi so easy to depict in such diverse and new ways.
EXISTENCE OF DIVERSE STORIES IN DELHI
Even as multiple OTT shows have been based in Delhi, almost all of them show starkly different shades of the capital. Reema Kagti, one of the co-creators of Made In Heaven, called Delhi “the wedding capital of India” while promoting the show in 2019. The show tells the story of two wedding planners handling the nuptials of Delhi’s filthy rich. The show’s other co-creator Zoya Akhtar added, “Delhi is a beautiful place to shoot. It’s differently cinematic. For the kind of story that we wanted to tell, we needed spaces like that.”
But Delhi was equally fitting as a setting for the Emmy Award-winning Delhi Crime, the show inspired from Delhi Police’s investigation of the infamous 2012 Delhi gang-rape. Rajesh Tailang, who played one of the policemen in the show, argues that even if it was a fictional tale, it would have been set in the capital. “Of course, this show had to be set in Delhi. The incident which inspired this show took place in Delhi. But even if it was a fictional show, this would have made sense being set in Delhi. It’s not as if women are only unsafe in Delhi but if you ask me for a comparative between Delhi and Mumbai, I’d say the problem of women being unsafe in an urban metropolis while venturing out at night is associated more with Delhi,” he says.
‘LONGER RUNTIME ON OTT ALLOWS US TO SHOW NEWER PARTS OF DELHI’
The depiction of Delhi in OTT shows has moved away from how the city was portrayed in cinema over the years. Instead of shots of India Gate or Qutub Minar that cinema had often employed to depict Delhi, web shows are moving beyond these usual suspects to depict newer parts of Delhi that had never found their way on to screens.
Filmmakers and writers attribute this to the longer run time that web series offer as opposed to feature films. “When you’re narrating a long format story, as a creator, you’re aware that you have the advantage of runtime. Hence, it doesn’t become too important to establish a city via the typical or iconic locations,” says Mayank Sharma, creator and director of Breathe - Into The Shadows. The series showcases neighbourhoods, roads and bylanes of various parts of Delhi, shot almost exclusively during the winters.
Mayank adds, “What I find interesting is for us to invest and spend time to show different settings and locations of Delhi that people have probably not seen or experienced yet. An unexplored or a new location demands shots that have to be contrived entirely from scratch, which brings freshness to the storytelling.”
‘AUTHENTICITY KEY WHILE SETTING A SHOW IN DELHI’
Creators say that authenticity becomes important when setting a story in a real place, in this case Delhi, particularly for the web medium. “Unlike a movie, which caters to a family crowd, web series are mostly consumed by individuals. Most people watch it on their laptops. They expect it to be real. So, the tone and language need to convey the same,” says Siddharth Singh, co-writer of Shaadi Boys, one of the first OTT shows set in Delhi.
And the creative minds behind these shows say they are willing to take extra pains to showcase Delhi as authentically as possible. While shooting for Breathe - Into The Shadows, Mayank and his crew made sure they shot at Delhi’s Ramlila. He elaborates, “We made sure that while the Ramlila mela was happening in Delhi, I flew with my core team and we captured the authentic visuals from the actual event itself, which added a lot to the authenticity of the scene, showcasing the way people celebrate that festival. Today’s audience can quickly make out the difference between what’s real and what’s made up. Hence, hands-on research is pivotal for realistic and engrossing storytelling.”
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OTT SHOWS SET IN DELHI
LIFE SAHI HAI: Four young friends, who decide to live independently for the first time ever, move to Delhi and live together, facing unpredictable challenges
MADE IN HEAVEN: Two wedding planners from Delhi discover a lot about themselves and the city’s society as they plan lavish and expensive weddings for the capital’s elites
SHAADI BOYS: Three aspiring actors, having failed in their Bollywood dreams, move to Delhi and decide to use their skills in Delhi’s lucrative wedding industry
DELHI CRIME: Set in the aftermath of the horrific 2012 gang-rape, the series follows the Delhi Police team that investigates and solves the case amid mounting pressure
THE AAM AADMI FAMILY: The comical tale of the Sharma family of Dilli trying to deal with their ‘middle-classness’ as they go about their day-to-day affairs
PATAAL LOK: The investigative thriller is about a disillusioned east Delhi cop, investigating a case of a failed assassination of a prominent journalist
BREATHE - INTO THE SHADOWS: A capital-based psychiatrist must commit a series of murders as ransom for his kidnapped daughter while the Delhi Police Crime Branch is hot on his heels
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‘DELHI CARRIES A LOT OF CITIES WITHIN ITSELF’
Even when some of the Delhi-based stories are similar thematically, a mere shift in geographical setting within Delhi makes them tonally different. So, while Made In Heaven and Shaadi Boys both deal with wedding planning, the former deals with the weddings of Delhi’s ultra-wealthy elites, the latter is set around west Delhi’s middle class shaadis. Filmmakers add that this diversity across Delhi allows them to retain the individuality of stories.
“The representation of Delhi in Indian cinema has either been tinted with a lens of nostalgia or set around almost a make-believe upper middle-class west Delhi world. But even though the cinematic representation has been two-dimensional, Delhi is not one city. It carries a lot of cities within itself. It carries a lot of different kinds of lives and cultures within itself,” argues Sudip Sharma, creator and co-writer of Pataal Lok.
The crime thriller follows a cop from ‘Jamuna paar’ – the part of Delhi that seldom finds cinematic mention. “In Delhi, they look at you a certain way if you are from a certain area,” continues Sudip, “You are immediately boxed in. Depending on whether your answer to the question ‘where are you from’ is Vasant Kunj or Patparganj, you are looked at differently. Where you set the story sets it apart from another story with a similar theme.”
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Pataal Lok makes the distinction between the different parts of Delhi based on the class inhabiting them, labelling them as pataal lok, dharti lok, and swarg lok respectively
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