Showing posts with label Pitchers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pitchers. Show all posts
I’ve already been typecast and I can’t help it-Naveen Kasturia
8:27 AM
Reema Chabda (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 25, 2023)
Seven years ago, Pitchers, the web series, saw the light of day and yet its second season, that released in December 2022, generated a lot of buzz.
Actor Naveen Kasturia, who plays one of the lead characters in the series, feels “it was incredible”. “I had almost given up on it. For a long time, I hoped that there would be another season. But since it didn’t really happen, I ended up accepting that it won’t ever happen. Season two began so abruptly that it seemed a little unreal. I wondered if it was actually happening,” says the actor.
He has been a part of Aspirants as well as Pitchers, so when asked about being typecast, he tells us, “I’ve already been [typecast] and it’s organic; I can’t help it. But that’s the battle you have to fight, and look for opportunities that you have not done yet. So, I keep trying and looking for those opportunities.”
Pitchers’ first season followed the journey of four friends: Naveen, Yogi, Mandal and Jeetu, who quit their jobs and started a firm named Pragati. The second season delves into the details of the startup sector, where interpersonal ties gradually but steadily turn into economic transactions.
Kasturia shares, “The actual problems begin in the second season as the characters have to keep up the pace of the business and keep it running, despite the risks and difficulties encountered.”
Kasturia admits he was “shocked to find that Jitu (Jitendra Kumar; actor) was not a part of season 2”. “Without him, Pitchers is unimaginable to me. From the director to the writer and the crew — most of the previous gang was missing.”
Despite season one’s success, Kasturia felt no pressure to recreate what had worked before. “I prefer not to replicate something that has already been done. There is no set formula, so what worked previously might not work now,” he says.
If actor’s fee is more than the budget of the show, then something is wrong-Sumeet Vyas
8:32 AM
Actor Sumeet Vyas has been part of the Indian web space since the very starting, having seen its growth as well as the changes that have come with the mo
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 9, 2023)
Actor Sumeet Vyas has been part of the OTT world since its inception and has seen its growth as well as the changes over the years. While the actor agrees that makers at times cast popular faces for the shows for various reasons, he feels that there is nothing wrong in doing so.
He explains, “I do not feel there is anything wrong in casting a film actor, if he is right for the part. But, if his acting fees is more than the entire budget of the show, then there is something wrong. There is a certain budget for the salaries of the entire unit, for the shoot to happen and if twice that number is being paid to one actor, then that’s not right. I do not think any actor brings that much value to any project. It’s the balance that we need to learn.”
Emphasising on his point, Vyas gives example of the shows that have done well in the digital sphere, which do not feature well-established film stars.
“Pataal Lok (2020), Mirzapur (2018), Rocket Boys (2022), Pitchers (2015), Permanent Roommates (2014), Panchayat (2020) and many more. These are all those shows that did not have stars and still they were superhit. In fact, shows which had bigger stars in them and ridiculous money spent did not do well.”
He adds, “Sacred Games (2018) would be exception where they had two stars (Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and it performed nicely. My point is, nine out of the ten shows that did well, were the ones with actors you did not think were stars. They were just good actors who suited the part.”
Ask if biases are even more apparent when stars are cast for big projects, Vyas agrees but explains that it happens because of the commerce.
“As producers and networks, what they want to do is try and get a popular face so that they are at least covered on those grounds,” he signs off.
When I learnt Jitendra Kumar was not part of Pitchers 2, I was shocked, like everyone one else-Naveen Kasturia
8:21 AM
Though Pitchers 2 got mixed response from audience, Naveen says he prefers it over opening season for its realistic drama
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 17, 2023)
Naveen Kasturia, who came into the spotlight seven years ago with Pitchers, has grown both in talent and experience. The past year was significant for the actor as he featured in Breathe: Into the Shadows season 2, and the much-awaited Pitchers 2. In a candid chat with mid-day, he talks about seven-year wait for the second instalment, and the audience’s reaction.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
Was the seven-year wait for the next season of Pitchers worth it?
I don’t know how to answer that. I am happy that it finally happened, and that they didn’t try to copy what they did in season one. This time, the team, crew and cast were all different, as was the approach.
Was the reaction to season 2 similar to how the first instalment was received?
When Pitchers first came [in 2015], it started my career. When Aspirants came on YouTube [in 2021], the pulse lasted quite long. Neither was promoted. When Pitchers 2 started, there was a buzz [among the audience]. I have been getting messages from the day it went on air on ZEE5, but it is difficult for me to gauge the show’s success. The reviews have ranged from average to very good. Some people found it better than the first season, but some have not liked it as much. People whom I admire have said good things about it. My peers praised my acting, and said the season was mature. I am glad that this season didn’t have gags. I like real drama more than jokes or gags. But how do you judge success [on OTT]? Personally, I have liked it more than the first season.
Through both editions, there is no description of what they are selling. So, what exactly is the product?
I am not sure of the product [laughs]. I feel that is the reason the writing took time. When we were discussing this idea five years ago, the [storyline] was to revolve around education, which later became obsolete. Back then, the team was different with Biswapati [Sarkar] writing the storyline. The new team has taken a different approach. At one point, one team was writing with a product in mind, while another team was writing a drama without it. Ultimately, the second [approach] caught their attention.
Why have there been so many changes in the team?
This is not a question for me. When I learnt that Jitu [Jitendra Kumar] was not part of this season, I was shocked, like everyone one else. I couldn’t imagine Pitchers without him. The old team was not there — from the director, to writer to crew. The assistant directors of Pitchers 1 have all become directors — Raghav Subbu directed Kota Factory, and Prem Mistry, who served as an art director, is now a director.
Were you ever morally in conflict with the character?
In the first season, my character was simple. His ethical core was correct. But this time around, I didn’t understand what he was doing. He doesn’t have anything with him, but agrees to commit Rs. 50 crore. Personally, I would never do that. We didn’t have rehearsals or extensive readings [to understand these emotions]. In fact, I came to know what my character was doing at the end of the fifth episode, only on the set. But I believe it is the director’s medium. The makers have done their research.
Is another season in the works?
They have left so many cliffhangers, that it should have a third season. But finally, that is a call the makers will take.
That one line 'Tu beer hai' changed a lot of things in my journey-Abhishek Banerjee
8:36 AM
Bhediya fame actor Abhishek Banerjee on returning as Bhati in Pitchers season 2
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 1, 2023)
Would you believe that the popularity of his one line, “Tu beer hai…” from Pitchers motivated Abhishek Banerjee, who has been garnering praise for Varun Dhawan-led Bhediya, to become an actor? That’s exactly what happened, says the actor, who plays an extended cameo in the second edition of the TVF show on ZEE5.
Recounting how four months after the first-season, people began recognising him as Bhati because the dialogue had gone viral, he says, “That one line changed a lot of things in my journey. It gave me the confidence to act. It was the first time I felt I was being recognised. [That gave me] motivation. If one line can be such a big hit, then probably I can have more lines.”
While Banerjee switches the dialogue to, “Tu whiskey hai…” in the second instalment of Pitchers, it was his firing scene that gave him much more satisfaction. “The scene is becoming bigger every day. I am happy that even my anger is going viral,” says the actor, adding that no amount of fame is going to deter him from coming back for another season. “Pitchers is one thing which I will come back to year after year. I will never lose anything by doing appearances like this. I will only gain [from it].”
Whenever there is a vacancy in a government office, my parents ask me to go for it-Jitendra Kumar
7:54 AM
Despite Cheesecake's success and a Bollywood film in his kitty, TVF star Jitendra Kumar on how it's a long road ahead to fame
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; December 17, 2019)
After Kota Factory, Pitchers, Truth aAd Dare With Dad, Jitendra Kumar, the poster boy of TVF, released a five-episode series, Cheesecake, with co-actor Akanksha Thakur. The MX Player show revolves around a couple who reignites the spark in their marriage as they welcome a dog into the family. In conversation with mid-day, Kumar talks about finding an unlikely co-star in a dog, his Bollywood debut and meeting his family's expectations.
Edited Excerpts from the interview.
How did you come on board for Cheesecake?
The concept belongs to Palash [Vaswani, director] and he is a pet lover. He got writer Gautam Ved on board, and along with Sameer Saxena [executive producer], the project began to take shape.
Are you pet-friendly?
Not really [laughs]. Despite my fear of dogs, I insisted on doing the show. The track of the married couple was interesting and different from the projects Akanksha and I have been part of. We trained with the dog to make it seem natural. Since she loves dogs, the training was essentially for me. It was fruitful because I gradually got comfortable with Aryan.
Was it difficult to shoot with a dog?
I think Aryan is more experienced than us. He has done several commercials and films. After his shot, he would immediately be taken to his vanity van because he couldn't bear the heat [laughs].
There were rumours about Pitchers 2 going on floors. Is it still on the cards?
The concept of start-ups is no longer fresh. We had started work on the script but realised that there is not enough material to play with. So, it's currently on hold.
You are making your Bollywood debut with the same-sex love story, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhaan. What was it like to romance Ayushmann Khurrana?
Romancing a girl comes easily because you've done it before; that's not the case here. Initially, it was awkward, but we got comfortable as we did readings, [understood] our characters and the situations they face. Before filming a romantic scene, the director [Hitesh Kewalya] would come to us and say he wants to see the chemistry between us. Thankfully, it flowed naturally when the camera rolled.
Has your family finally accepted you as an actor?
They are supportive of my decision. But whenever there is a vacancy in a government office, they call me, asking me to interview for the job. This happens especially when I'm going through a low phase.
I was nervous about shooting with Rajkummar Rao-Naveen Kasturia
7:51 AM
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; August 30, 2017)
He might have started out as an assistant director, but Naveen Kasturia knew that he belonged in front of the camera, not behind it. His belief has been validated since — after winning acclaim for his acts in Sulemani Keeda (2014) and TVF Pitchers (2015), Kasturia has now been roped in to play Darbari Lal in the web series, Bose Dead/Alive.
Kasturia tells mid-day, “The story is narrated from my point of view. I play a hawaldar who witnesses the revolution led by Subhash Chandra Bose.” Working with Rajkummar Rao, who plays the enigmatic leader, brought back memories for Kasturia — the latter was an assistant director on Rao’s Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010). “I remember I’d go to the vanity van to call Raj for his shots,” he reminisces and goes on to add, “I was nervous about shooting with Raj. He gave me tips to get my character right, also teaching me how to smoke, for a scene.”
Besides Bose, the actor has also begun shooting for a new web series, Social, that stars Rana Daggubati. About his role, Kasturia says, “I play a doting brother who is in search of his missing sister. The kidnapping goes on to unravel many more mysteries.”
With two web series and a film with Naseeruddin Shah under his belt, he feels his career is finally shaping up the way he had envisioned. “After Pitchers, I felt I had arrived. But, I wasn’t offered anything for a year. Now, things are finally picking up. Acting has given me respect and exposure. It’s all I want to do.”
Pitchers has managed to make stars out of nobodies, including me-Arunabh Kumar
7:36 AM
Former IITian Arunabh Kumar now hopes to create India's answer to 'The Avengers,' and will roll with the second season of his hit web series 'Pitchers' early next year
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 28, 2015)
It was during his student days at IIT Kharagpur when Arunabh Kumar, Founder-CEO of The Viral Fever (TVF) and TVF Media Labs, realised that downloading and watching TV shows was the most essential part of every engineering student's campus life.
Unfortunately, not a single one of these shows was Indian, except for a desi connection forged by Kunal Nayyar's perennially nervous nerd Raj Koothrapalli on the wildly popular The Big Bang Theory.
"I had studied the students' TV viewing habits. Thanks to unimaginative Indian soaps and their unnecessary melodrama, an entire generation of audience, between the ages of 14 and 34, had completely missed out on Indian content because of sheer lack of it," Arunabh recalls.
One day, he hopped off a Tokyo-bound flight, ditching his cushy job as a research consultant, to work in production and as directors' assistant, exploring the short film format.
"But no one seemed to understand what I wanted to convey, I was either told that my content was too intellectual for television or I was asked to change my style. I decided to take a risk with content anyway," Arunabh says.
Last year, the company's first web series, Permanent Roommates, became the most watched online series in India and the second most watched long-form web series in the world, after Video Game High School, with over 9 million views for five episodes.
The first episode from the series is now all set to be screened at the 17th MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, partnered by Mumbai Mirror, at the Movie Mela, alongside AIB's Honest Indian Weddings and Kahaani director Sujoy Ghosh's short film Ahalya.
TVF's creative director Biswapati Sarkar, who is famous for parodying Arnab Goswami on the channel's satirical show 'Barely Speaking with Arnub', which has featured Bollywood A-listers like Shah Rukh Khan and Ranveer Singh, appears as a panelist at the Movie Mela at the festival, presented by Jio, alongside Badlapur actress Radhika Apte and Google India Head, Satya Raghavan.
Meanwhile, Arunabh is gearing up
for a second season of the hit series and also plans to create another
season for Pitchers, a more recent web-series by the company which aired
on their independent online channel and was rated 9.6 on IMDB. "Pitchers had initially started off as a mockumentary, to be filmed like the British TV show The Office. I also had an Indian Entourage in mind. Then, with India's start-up boom, I decided to create something closer to home," Arunabh reveals.
The five-episode series became so popular by August this year that it spawned a whole range of products with the show's tag line, 'Tu Beer Hai', merchandisers selling 50,000 t-shirts and over 500 different Pitchers-related memes surfacing online.
The series, revolving around the struggle of four young people who quit their jobs to start their own ventures, fetched over 7 million views on YouTube in three months and became the first Indian show to feature in IMDB's top 50 shows at rank 21, overtaking Seinfield, House of Cards, Narcos and Scrubs. "The audience at a summit I recently attended in New York was intrigued by the fact that I managed to outdo shows backed by TV network giants like ABC, CBS and FOX with a meagre budget. Also, I could keep the viewers hooked to a show with 40-minute-long episodes. I always say that if you give people the kind of content you want to see on television, they will watch it. The aim is to be the pioneers of web originals in India," Arunabh says.
A minion version of the show's poster featuring the four protagonists, played by Naveen Kasturia, Arunabh Kumar himself, Jitendra Kumar and Abhay Mahajan, has gone viral too.
"The show has managed to make stars out of nobodies, including me," Arunabh says, adding that he was at a restaurant recently when a group of boys seated at a nearby table sent over a beer. "I don't even like beer," he laughs.
He also recalls how he received e-mails from engineers who'd quit their jobs after watching the show to start their own business.
"I realised that with great power comes great responsibility and the content we put out there affects people," he reflects.
Pitchers was recently screened at the Microsoft office in Bangalore while some Goa fans of the show threw a 'Pitchers bash', where people got together for a marathon viewing of the show over beer.
Now, Arunabh is keen to explore dark humour and venture into films, but is in no hurry.
"By 2020, we will have created India's response to The Avengers. Our channel is already the desi whiplash to HBO," he chuckles.
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