Showrunner Ashvini Yardi on why her Netflix series, Masaba Masaba, will prove everyone wrong
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 27, 2020)

It was a big relief for Ashvini Yardi — showrunner and producer of Masaba Masaba — when the trailer of her latest outing on Netflix dropped online. She had a hard time making people understand the concept of the show. In a chat with mid-day, she says, "People think it is a mockumentary, but it is a scripted show with a blend of fact and fiction. It was a unique format that I envisioned while working on it. Usually, there are too many no-go zones while making a biopic; the family often doesn't let you showcase things you want to and whitewashing becomes a norm. This format allows you to explore the grey areas."

Yardi was always clear on roping in a female director and it took her six months to zero in on Sonam Nair, who also contributed on the show as a writer. "Masaba Gupta and Neena ji are fierce, no-nonsense women and I was sure most men won't be comfortable with that vibe or [be able to] depict it correctly." She says Nair, who has previously helmed Gippi (2016) and Kaafir (2019), had the right quirk for it.

"Masaba is a designer, I was worried about her acting skills," confesses the showrunner and hoped that she had Neena ji's genes. "Masaba was confident she could pull it off and she has surpassed our expectations." But there were other things that plagued Yardi's mind. "Everyone told me the show is a mistake [owing to its atypical format and lead]. My main focus was to prove people wrong. Masaba is an unusual personality with unconventional looks. An Indian-Caribbean lead in a mainstream show will set a new benchmark. It will shatter the set ideas of leading ladies and casting," explains Yardi, adding that despite being a feminist show delivered by women, she wanted it to appeal to both men and women.

The series features a slew of cameos where actors play exaggerated versions of themselves. While Kiara Advani and Farah Khan make an appearance in the trailer, Yardi says she is saving most for the series itself.

Kiara Advani to be seen in a cameo in Masaba Masaba; plays a "self-obsessed version" of herself in Netflix mockumentary headlined by ace designer
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 11, 2020)

Stars and couturiers are a classic case of can't live with them, can't live without them. Netflix's fictionalised series Masaba Masaba — which follows the stellar rise of Masaba Gupta as one of the biggest names in Indian fashion — also looks at the blow-hot-and-cold equation between designers and actors, sprinkling it with a generous dose of humour.

The series sees Kiara Advani play a typical Bollywood diva. Thrilled to collaborate with the streaming platform after Lust Stories (2018) and Guilty, the actor says she gave her nod in a heartbeat when producer Ashvini Yardi approached her for the cameo. "It was a fun and quirky role," says Advani, taken by the mockumentary style of the show.

In a sequence in the Sonam Nair-directed project, Advani's character is shown stepping into one of Gupta's stores to hand-pick an outfit for an event, where she has to look "drop-dead gorgeous." The scene highlights the inane questions that the B-Town star asks — 'Will this make me look thin? Do I have to drape it a certain way? Will the paparazzi get my right profile in it?' — while the designer tries to find the perfect ensemble that will be approved by the fashion police.

"Since it's a unique show, I was more than happy to do a cameo. I play a self-obsessed version of myself. It's like doing a spoof of yourself," laughs Advani, adding that sharing screen space with the "super chilled-out" Gupta was a delight.

The series, which drops online on August 28, traces the ace couturier's journey as she navigates love, life, career and friendships. It also marks her first on-screen outing with actor-mother Neena Gupta.

With Masaba Masaba ready to drop online, director Sonam Nair on completing the post-production of Netflix show during the lockdown
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 7, 2020)

After wowing us with her creations featuring bold prints, couturier Masaba Gupta is set to showcase her acting skills with the eponymous series, Masaba Masaba. The Netflix show will mark her on-screen union with actor-mother Neena Gupta. While the shoot was wrapped up well ahead of the lockdown, director Sonam Nair has been supervising the post-production remotely in order to meet the deadline.

"Thankfully, we had locked the edit, background music, and other creative aspects before the lockdown," states Nair, adding that dubbing for the series, without the advantage of a home studio, was a logistical nightmare. "I had to supervise the dubbing session over video calls. It was strange because the three key players — the actor, the sound designer and I — were operating from different locations. I could neither see the video nor hear [the dubbing] clearly, but we made the best of the situation."

The director adds that she missed out on the joy of watching the final cut of the show with her team. "As the director, I have to check the final picture before locking it. Since I don't have a studio, I checked it on my laptop and greenlit it. Given the current circumstances, I realised that things will not be as perfect as they could have been."

The trailer of the show — which is inspired by the designer's life — is expected to drop online in the coming weeks. "I had a gala time shooting with Neena and Masaba; they are inspirational, down-to-earth and funny," says Nair.

Be it a story of a serial killer or a freedom fighter, fiction is getting a tough fight from real-life stories that are taking over OTT platforms
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; September 1, 2019)

Earlier this year, we all watched Delhi Crime, which is about the 2012 Nirbhaya rape case, and were left overwhelmed. We were also, to a certain degree, amazed that something like this could happen in real life. Or Mindhunter, in which the FBI's behavioural science unit goes to meet serial killers to know what lies beneath a killer's mind. And, we discovered that the cliche is true: fact is stranger than fiction. It's this old adage that the OTT platform ZEE5 is banking on, by focusing on content based on true events. Be it Kaafir, in which a young Pakistani mother, who comes to India, is accused of being a terrorist; Gondya Ala Re (above), the story of the first armed revolution by the youth of the country, led by the Chapekar brothers; Barot House, about a child serial killer; or Rangbaaz, based on gangster Shiv Prakash Shukla: all stories are ones that require intense research.

For Gondya Ala Re, a show on Damodar Hari Chapekar, Balkrishna Hari Chapekar and Vasudeo Hari Chapekar, director Ankur Kakatkar (left) took almost two years to research. The story of the Pune brothers, who were involved in the assassination of WC Rand, the British plague commissioner of Pune, was a vast one. "I knew them from my school books, but later they vanished from the MPSC syllabus. Then, in 2017, the prime minister mentioned them in the Lok Sabha and my interest piqued again," says Kakatkar, who is also from Pune. He started reading about them, including getting his hands on out-of-print autobiographies and hard-to-access court documents. "It was all jugaad, as it was very hard to get those documents from the court," says the 35-year-old filmmaker, who has also written the show. "Once I started making the show, their fourth generations got in touch, so we talked to them as well. But, eventually I knew more about them than anyone else. They were unsung heroes. Freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Veer Savarkar followed their cue. I wanted to make them more than just a paragraph in a history book." The writer traced their journey from 1892 to 1899 in the show, which stars Bhushan Pradhan, Anand Ingale and Sunil Barve.

But, along with freedom fighters, even the stories of serial killers get told. In Barot House (right), Sanjeev K Jha, the UP writer who wrote last month's Jabariya Jodi, had to enter the mind of a serial killer; that, too, a teenage one. The show is based on different cases of serial killings across India of children, all allegedly by killers, who fell in the 14-18 age group. One took place in Maharashtra, one in Bihar. "For this show, I read a lot of serial killer novels and watched Mindhunter. I decided to go deep into the psyche of a troubled child, and had to question his parenting. So, this became a story about a father and son. When our children do wrong, aren't we the first ones to cover it?" says the 32-year-old writer, who feels that real-life stories are serving something useful to the audience. "I also found out interesting things during my research. Did you know that when serial killers are unsuccessful, they self-harm? We tried to keep it free of too much gore or sexual content, as it's more about psychology."

In Rangbaaz, in place of a serial killer, is a gangster, who, as writer Siddharth Mishra (left) says, is also a father, son and boyfriend. Rangbaaz is the story of Rajashtan's infamous gangster Shiv Prakash Shukla. "The story is not just about a gangster, but about caste politics and state politics that were in effect then. What made a farmer's son, who was studying to be an IAS officer, become a gangster instead? We had to know his surroundings and his equations with people," says the 38-year-old, who spoke to old-school journalists (active in the '90s) to know more while also travelling and meeting his acquaintances. "We haven't tried to justify anything, but you have to show the human element, and that only comes with research," he says. "You have to maintain a balance."

And, that could be the most important part of telling a true story: to make sure all sides are told. Just like a journalist, who reports both sides of the story, these writers and directors are trying to bring the truth to fore. As Sonam Nair, director of Kaafir (below), says, "With a movie like this, which is about a Pakistani woman who was called a terrorist because she got stuck in India, political implications are big. Everyone is scared to make the movie. That's why all the facts have to be in place. We got information from the real lady, who is played by Dia Mirza, and details from the lawyer defending her. We didn't make a movie about India or Pakistan; it's fair and balanced. It's eventually a human story."

Netflix has sanctioned a web series inspired by Masaba's life, to feature designer and actor-mother Neena in lead roles.
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 13, 2019)

In the 10 years since she set foot in the world of fashion, armed with her love for quirky prints and rich hues, Masaba Gupta has become one of the leading couturiers. Her journey — including her lineage, her professional highs, her fight for body positivity, and her personal life — is worthy of storytelling. So, it's not surprising that Netflix has sanctioned a web series that will be loosely inspired by the designer's life. The Sonam Nair-directed project, produced and conceptualised by Ashvini Yardi, will be headlined by Masaba and actor-mother Neena, thus marking their first outing on screen.

A trade source says, "Masaba and Ashvini have been spotted together on several occasions over the past year. It has now emerged that the two were finalising the concept of the show. While the web series takes inspiration from Masaba's life, it has been fictionalised to an extent. It will see Masaba as a fashion designer who navigates her professional and personal life after her divorce. No prizes for guessing that Neena will be seen as her mother. Both women loved the concept and immediately said yes."

Considering Masaba has sealed her place as Bollywood's go-to designer, the show will also delve into the functioning of the film industry from the lens of the couturier. "It's essentially a fun, quirky take on the film industry and fashion. Since the mother-daughter duo is close to several Bollywood celebs, including Alia Bhatt and mother Soni Razdan, sisters Sonam and Rhea Kapoor, several real-life incidents of Tinsel town will be incorporated into the series." The show is likely to go on floors next month.

mid-day reached out to Yardi and Netflix. Both remained unavailable for comment.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; April 13, 2019)

Dia Mirza returned to films after three years with Sanju (2018), which had her playing Maanayata Dutt. And, now the actress is all set to make her digital debut with Kaafir, which will see her essaying another real-life character that is currently kept under wraps. The former beauty queen has started shooting for it in Himachal Pradesh from where she has been posting pictures. She talks about her web series, how the digital platform is offering exciting roles to women and the problem of ageism in the film industry.

You have been posting pictures of your look from the upcoming web series Kaafir, but there is a lot of secrecy around it...
(Laughs) That’s because we want to unveil the story closer to the launch. Right now, all I can say is that it is a hard-hitting, compelling humane narrative. I feel enriched as an artiste and a human being to have the opportunity to play this part. It’s special as it’s based on a real person. I have watched some stuff that is available on her, but what is more important is to understand the full context of her experience and spend time understanding that.

Do you find it more challenging to play a role based on a real person?
I think the ability to empathise with another person’s experience and go into the trajectory of their journey is challenging. When I posted my character image from Kaafir, I wrote, ‘Your truth is now my truth.’ That is my endeavour, that’s the best I can do and hope for.

Will this be your first outing on the digital platform?
This is the second show that I signed, the first one is Moghuls, which is based on the Mughal empire. It is a massive show directed by Nikkhil Advani; I have a powerful and beautiful part in it. As for Kaafir, Sid (Siddharth P Malhotra, producer) gave me one line of the subject. By the time he finished it, I said yes. It was that compelling. The reason to do these two series is they answer every question that I asked myself and the industry.

It is important for the film industry to rise above ageism. Roles for women need to be better written. It is exciting to see this happening on OTT platforms. Within a span of six months, I was offered two brilliant narratives, which is a sign of good times. I am most excited as an actor, producer, and as a woman to be a part of it. I hope this continues to grow and more parts for women are written.

Kaafir is directed by a woman, Sonam Nair. Does that make a difference in the treatment of the series?
Before I talk about that, I have to tell you that I have done 47 films and this is only the second time I am collaborating with a female director! It reveals how much of a gender gap exists in our industry. I don’t mean to be unfair to men — they come with their own strengths. But there is something so extraordinary, sensitive and meaningful working with these women — (Sonam and Bhavani Iyer, writer). They have a greater and deeper ability to create empathy. Just see the work Zoya (Akhtar) is doing, the way Reema (Kagti) writes, or Alankrita (Shrivastava) works. Meghna Gulzar and Bhavani were such a powerful combination for Raazi. It is good to see them holding their truth; exploring ideas that compel them at a personal level, and not trying to follow some stereotypical idea of what storytelling has to be about.

Do you find any difference between shooting for a film and web series?
For a web series, there is more time to build on the character and discover the story. I will say it is delicious (laughs). That’s because you get a chance to sink your teeth into in, relish it and unravel the layers. Films are an incredible format, but you don’t get that much time. It’s like reading a novella and novel. A novel gives you so much more!

After Sanju, have you signed any films?
No film has come my way that has excited me. For any female actor, the age between 35 to 45 is treacherous. Filmmakers tell me, I am at that awkward age. No parts are written for women in this age bracket, while men at that age flourish and have great careers. They can play 30 till they are 50, but women are not allowed to do that. Interestingly, in the West, women in that age group are at the highest point of their careers. They get the best parts. That’s also because we do not write enough for mature people.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 28, 2018)

Much like it does for comedy sitcoms, improvisational work contributed immensely to the screenplay of The Trip 2, which marks Amyra Dastur’s foray into the digital space. So much so that a fair share of the dialogues that will be heard in the show was the brainwave of Dastur and co-star Mallika Dua, both of who could tickle the funny bone owing to the bond they shared off screen.

Dastur, who will be credited as writer along with Dua, tells mid-day, “Mallika’s character, is related to that of mine. Inevitably, our scenes needed us to feed off each others’ dialogues. Whenever we’d rehearse along with Sonam [Nair, director and co-writer], we’d improvise and add our own lines. The unit kept cracking up, so Sonam decided to retain them in the series.”

Working with the all-female crew in Pondicherry was a delightful experience, she says. “Since none of us knew Tamil, communicating with the locals resulted in hilarious situations.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 30, 2017)

The prolific Neena Gupta and inimitable Jackie Shroff have paired up for the first time for Sonam Nair’s short film, Khujli. They play a middle-aged couple trying to spice up their sex life.

The film’s prologue reads: “They say married people should be wary of the seven-year itch. But what happens when Girdharilal and Roopmati decide to scratch a 25-year-old itch? Secret desires come out... things can’t help but get a little kinky.”

Nair says, “My sense of humour has always been connected to sexual situations. People make a big deal of it, but I think of it from a funny perspective. There’s a lot of humour in this, but we don’t approach it right in this country. Neenaji’s humour is understated and sarcastic. Jaggu dada is also subtle. That’s how the pairing worked.”

But, it was a challenge for her to convince Jackie to go between the sheets. “Jaggu dada loved the script, but then developed cold feet. He panicked thinking he wouldn’t be able to bring the right hue of humour to the film.”

Together the actors were quite a handful. “The two are poles apart, but got along too well. There came a point when I had to ask them to cut out the fun and get to work.”

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 29, 2016)


The actor is all for the new medium. “Web series are the in-thing right now,” he says, adding, “Not many people go to theatres to watch films and TV is being hogged by the naagins. Web series, on the other hand, show content that is relatable to today’s youth and can be watched by people anywhere. Also, when Balaji offered me the series, it was an opportunity to work with them again after Parichay (which aired three years ago), a show that saw much success and won several awards. Besides, the script is interesting. I couldn’t stop reading it.”

The thriller, which revolves around an extramarital affair, has Samir playing a tycoon. “The story is a contemporary one and will push boundaries,” says the actor, who co-stars with Dipannita Sharma and Aditi Vasudev (of Suleimani Keeda fame). Sonam Nair (who helmed Gippy) is directing the series.

The series is expected to be bold and have intimate scenes. “It will definitely be talked about,” agrees the actor, who is looking forward to the response to the series.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 24, 2015)

Disha Patani who was picked for Akshay Roy's Vanity Fair, a Karan Johar-Ekta Kapoor co-production, then whisked away by KJo for his sex comedy, Dil De, Pyaar De (earlier titled No Sex Please, We're Indians) will finally make her debut opposite Tiger Shroff in Sajid Nadiadwala's Baaghi.

She was one of the many to audition for the role and was promptly signed up. The film rolls on March 16.

A source close to the development told Mirror, "The film is a high-on-action martial-arts drama. And Tiger will be seen performing the stunts his martial-arts skills in the love saga which will open in April 2016."

Meanwhile buzz is, after his appearance in the controversial AIB Roast, Karan has decided to shelve the Sonam Nair directed sex comedy. "Ekta, who was earlier supposed to co-produce the film has backed out and the project isn't likely to start anytime soon," adds the source.

Pulkit Samrat who was to topline the cast with Disha, dropped out of the film soon after he tied the knot, opting for Bhushan Kumar's Junooniyat instead.

When contacted Sonam told Mirror, "My film will start only after we find debutants with the potential to become tomorrow's stars. See where the Student of the Year newcomers, Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt are today. The hunt is on."

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; November 18, 2014)

In about three weeks, Pulkit Samrat was supposed to start shooting for Karan Johar’s No Sex Please, We are Indians. However, rumour mills suggest that the actor, who is currently basking in marital bliss, has opted out of the sex comedy leaving the production house in the lurch.

Says a source, “Pulkit decided to walk out of the project barely 20 days before it was to go on the floors. He is just back from his honeymoon and it seems he wasn’t willing to do the sex comedy. Moreover, he has many other offers in hand.” With the shooting date inching closer, director Sonam Nair is said to be holding several rounds of auditions to cast a fresh face. No workshop has been conducted either.

Rannvijay Singh’s brother, Harman has apparently auditioned for the role. Newcomer Disha Patani, who featured opposite Pulkit in a shopping portal’s ad, has been finalised as the lead actress.

Another source dismisses rumours of Pulkit acting prudish and says that he abandoned the film as he was not too confident about working with Nair. The director’s last film, Gippi (2013), which also came from KJo’s Dharma Productions stable, was a box office dud.

Pulkit and Nair were not available for comment. Tanuj Garg, CEO-Balaji, which is co-producing the film, says, “No one (actor) was confirmed or announced to begin with so there is no question of anyone being thrown out or walking out.”

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 13, 2014)

Vanity Fair has been put on the backburner again but the girl shortlisted for it to be seen in Sonam Nair's adult comedy, No Sex Please, We're Indians
MUMBAI MIRROR (September 18, 2014)

Last June, a film titled Badtameez Dil was announced with much fanfare following a casting coup. Emraan Hashmi and Kareena Kapoor had been roped in by two of industry's most powerful producers, Ekta Kapoor and Karan Johar.

However, the film, went into a limbo. Eventually, Emraan opted out of the project. The film was to mark the directorial debut of Akshay Roy who has assisted in films like Taare Zameen Par and The Namesake.

"Akshay was still writing the script when I consented to do the film. I don't really know what happened after that. Everybody just walked away from the project," Hashmi had earlier told Mirror (June 23).

After Emraan's exit, the project was reportedly taken to Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra but the 'students' were busy with other commitments and that's when the notion of casting newcomers, preferably star kids, came up.

The project was back on track (Mirror, June 14) and was to roll in September. Disha Patani, a model, had been shortlisted and the rest of the cast was in the process being finalised when Karan supposedly had a change of heart.

"He felt that Disha would be more apt for another of his productions, Sonam Nair's adult comedy, No Sex Please, We're Indians," says a source close to the development. "Now, Vanity Fair has been indefinitely delayed. They're still trying to salvage it but can't get the right actors. Sonam's film will go on floors first with Disha."

Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor and Akshay Roy chose not to respond to our text messages.

Upala KBR (DNA; August 25, 2014)


It is learnt that Karan is producing a quirky sex comedy directed by Gippy director Sonam Nair. He confirms, “It’s too early for me to reveal. I can’t really go on record and speak about the film because we have to make an official announcement, but I will have to say we are getting into a terrain that Dharma has never entered or ventured into. We have an extremely interesting collaborator on the film, which we will announce soon enough. Let’s just say this is a film where I may have to take my mother’s permission before I produce it. I do plan to do that, but I am trying to delay it (laughs).”

What made him venture into the zone of adult comedy, a genre that good friend Ekta Kapoor, who is successful at? “I go by the script and I loved Sonam’s script. It entertained me. To me, I would never do something that would embarrass me, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t get into edginess and I think the subject is fun and edgy and which excited me a lot. I would never do something obscene or vulgar, but I would definitely want to do something edgy and her script has that.”

You read that right! Dharma is moving away from family dramas