Tag: Akarsh Khurana

  • Lionsgate Play’s second Indian original ‘Jugaadistan’ out 4 March

    Lionsgate Play’s second Indian original ‘Jugaadistan’ out 4 March

    Mumbai: Lionsgate Play has announced that its second Indian original “Jugaadistan” will start streaming on the platform from 4 March.

    Directed by Akarsh Khurana and Adhaar Khurana, “Jugaadistan” features Sumeet Vyas, Arjun Mathur, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rukshar Dhillon, Taaruk Raina, Gopal Datt and Ahsaas Channa.

    The show will take the audiences through the dusty by-lanes of a campus. The campus drama explores college politicians, professors who make students go weak in their knees, young people navigating their own moralities and matters of the heart, said the platform in a statement. 

    “It’s a show that we’ve put all our might behind,” said Lionsgate MD South Asia and networks – emerging markets Asia Rohit Jain. “With ‘Hiccups and Hookups’ we explored modern family dynamics; this time we took a real tour of campus life. It’s not as hunky-dory as our pop culture makes it seem with their nostalgic songs and romantic stories. We get real and explore the gritty side that has never been seen on screen before. At Lionsgate Play, the endeavour is to chase stories that are out of the ordinary and I can’t wait for the world to watch it.”

    “This series is a delightful combination of all the colours of life that we experience in college,” said Lionsgate India vice president originals Mrinalini Khanna. “Akarsh and Adhaar along with the writers and cast have managed to bring to life the innocence of growing up as well as the seriousness of making life-changing decisions at a young age, effortlessly. We’re excited to showcase a series that is not only contemporary but also timeless in many ways. I guarantee, no matter what age you’re at – you’re going to relate and reminisce with ‘Jugaadistan’.”

    “As a filmmaker and storyteller, you are always looking to push the envelope and challenge yourself,” said director Akarsh Khurana. “I wanted to do just that when this presented itself. While I have done youth-centric, college stuff before, this was like a different take on it. Like the darker side of our college years, and Delhi like we don’t see often. We delve into an array of issues – college politics, student dynamics, side incomes – all of which are significant in how people’s lives are shaped in their formative years. After all, college is the beginning of the rest of your adult life. The decisions we take then usually have far-reaching consequences. I also really enjoyed the track of investigative journalism and the quest for the truth that runs parallel to all the student shenanigans.”

  • Taapsee Pannu-starrer ‘Rashmi Rocket’ to directly premiere on Zee5

    Taapsee Pannu-starrer ‘Rashmi Rocket’ to directly premiere on Zee5

    Mumbai: Video streaming platform Zee5 is set to premiere Tapsee Pannu-starrer sports drama “Rashmi Rocket” on 15 October. The film is produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Neha Anand and Pranjal Khandhdiya under RSVP and Mango People Media.

    “At Zee5, we have constantly strived to bring audiences richer experiences with versatile content that is not just entertaining but also a reflection of us as a collective society,” said Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra. “Rashmi Rocket is riveting, relevant, and will have you cheering, empathising, and questioning. It’s cinema that moves you.”

    Set in the salt marshes of Kutch, the film is about a young village girl who is an incredibly fast runner, nurturing the ambition of crossing the finish line some day. In the journey to fulfilling her dreams, she soon realises that the race is peppered with many hurdles, and what seems like an athletic contest turns into a personal battle for respect, honour, and identity.

    “Rashmi Rocket” is written by Nanda Periyasamy, Aniruddha Guha, and Kanika Dhillon and directed by Akarsh Khurana. The film also features Supriya Pathak, Abhishek Banerjee, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Supriya Pilgaonkar in pivotal roles.

    “So many immensely talented youth do not reach their full potential or even have opportunities owing to the obstacles the system and society throw at them. Rashmi Rocket is one such example of someone who faced those obstacles head-on and overcame them,” said RSVP’s Ronnie Screwvala on the film. “It’s a story of resilience, determination, and above all, the fighting human spirit.”

  • The Viral Fever wins big at 22nd Asian Television Awards

    The Viral Fever wins big at 22nd Asian Television Awards

    MUMBAI: The Viral Fever, creators of the web content in India and makers of the series “TVF Pitchers”, “Permanent Roommates” have added another feather to their cap! Their original web series TVF Tripling which released last year has bagged the award for the best scriptwriting for web programme/series at the recently concluded 22nd Asian Television Awards in Singapore.

    TVF Originals head Sameer Saxena said, “Tripling is a very special show for TVF. Thanks to Sumeet & Akarsh, we had a story that was true to the experiences we share with family, and loved by Indian audiences. With this award, we are confident that these stories are true beyond India as well.”

    Directed by Rajesh Krishnan, the web series which premiered in August last year, is an unforgettable, unplanned road trip that the three siblings – Chandan (played by Vyas), Chanchal (played by Maanvi Gagroo) and Chitvan (played by Amol Parashar) – are on to meet their parents. The tale is loaded with the emotions that highlight the unique and enduring relationship between siblings. The show, which is written by lead actor and scriptwriter Sumeet Vyas along with Akarsh Khurana, has won this award in its 1st ever year. This was also The Viral Fever and India’s 1st nomination in this category. The series broke new grounds in digital entertainment in India with story-telling, production scale, and viewership. Tripling is available to watch on TVF’s original content platform, TVFPlay.

    Vyas said, “Tripling was created from very personal experiences. Beyond funny situations and crazy people, there’s a warm story that we were trying to tell, and I’m so so proud that people got it. Thank you ATA for recognising and appreciating our effort.”

    Khurana added, “The win was a wonderful surprise and a reminder of how much love there is for the series. It’s the perfect motivation for Sumeet and me as we are in the process of writing Season 2. It’s also lots of pressure!”

  • TVF goes “Tripling” with Tata Tiago

    TVF goes “Tripling” with Tata Tiago

    MUMBAI: Road tripping with your favourite people is bliss. We have all been there. Famous for its brainchild Pitchers and Permanent Roommates, YouTube’s series heavyweights The Viral Fever (TVF) has added a new feather to its hat.

    For those who have done it in the past, TVF’s new web-series Tripling will give them a flashback and those who haven’t will immediately start planning.

    Written by Akarsh Khurana and Sumeet Vyas, the five episodic show spanning over 20-25 minutes revolves around three distant siblings who come closer on a road trip trying to deal with their individual crisis.

    Chandan (Sumeet Vyas), a homeless and jobless man whose marriage seems to be falling apart with Chanchal (Maanvi Gagroo) married into royalty regretting the isolation and responsibility that comes with the title and Chitvan (Amol Parashar) a laid back DJ decide to hit the roads. The show is slated to launch on 28 August. It also stars Kunal Roy Kapoor, Kumud Mishra and Shernaz Patel.

    “I started working on the concept six months back and after three or four drafts we finalised the script. I was very keen on writing a road-trip story and wanted it to be different,” says Vyas.

    Targeted at the 14-45 age group who can relate to the content, TVF is making this web series in association with Tiago from Tata Motors. Directed by Rajesh Krishnan, the entire show has been shot by G Srinivas Reddy on a Cannon C300 using a two camera set-up.

    The series was shot at a stretch with a crew of 30-40 in various places- Mumbai, Rajasthan, Jodhpur, Manali, etc. The catchy music has been composed by Amar Mangrulkar.

    According to sources close to the development, Tata Motors has shelled out an eye-popping amount of Rs 2.5-3 crore for backing the production.

    “Just like our past shows, TVF will not push this series exceedingly. We will target audiences from the tier 2 and tier 3 cities,” adds producer of the show Sameer Saxena. He is also working on the second season of Pitchers that will be launched early in 2017.

    Except teasers and a few hoardings in the top five metro cities, the trailer of the show has been successfully launched with 3,000 likes on the channel within 24 hours. Going by one of the dialogues from the show, Crisis ke time pe family hi kaam aati hai, TVF definitely has one more winner on its hands.

  • TVF goes “Tripling” with Tata Tiago

    TVF goes “Tripling” with Tata Tiago

    MUMBAI: Road tripping with your favourite people is bliss. We have all been there. Famous for its brainchild Pitchers and Permanent Roommates, YouTube’s series heavyweights The Viral Fever (TVF) has added a new feather to its hat.

    For those who have done it in the past, TVF’s new web-series Tripling will give them a flashback and those who haven’t will immediately start planning.

    Written by Akarsh Khurana and Sumeet Vyas, the five episodic show spanning over 20-25 minutes revolves around three distant siblings who come closer on a road trip trying to deal with their individual crisis.

    Chandan (Sumeet Vyas), a homeless and jobless man whose marriage seems to be falling apart with Chanchal (Maanvi Gagroo) married into royalty regretting the isolation and responsibility that comes with the title and Chitvan (Amol Parashar) a laid back DJ decide to hit the roads. The show is slated to launch on 28 August. It also stars Kunal Roy Kapoor, Kumud Mishra and Shernaz Patel.

    “I started working on the concept six months back and after three or four drafts we finalised the script. I was very keen on writing a road-trip story and wanted it to be different,” says Vyas.

    Targeted at the 14-45 age group who can relate to the content, TVF is making this web series in association with Tiago from Tata Motors. Directed by Rajesh Krishnan, the entire show has been shot by G Srinivas Reddy on a Cannon C300 using a two camera set-up.

    The series was shot at a stretch with a crew of 30-40 in various places- Mumbai, Rajasthan, Jodhpur, Manali, etc. The catchy music has been composed by Amar Mangrulkar.

    According to sources close to the development, Tata Motors has shelled out an eye-popping amount of Rs 2.5-3 crore for backing the production.

    “Just like our past shows, TVF will not push this series exceedingly. We will target audiences from the tier 2 and tier 3 cities,” adds producer of the show Sameer Saxena. He is also working on the second season of Pitchers that will be launched early in 2017.

    Except teasers and a few hoardings in the top five metro cities, the trailer of the show has been successfully launched with 3,000 likes on the channel within 24 hours. Going by one of the dialogues from the show, Crisis ke time pe family hi kaam aati hai, TVF definitely has one more winner on its hands.