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Tag: Gurmmeet Singh

  • Mirzapur season three becomes the most-watched show ever on Prime Video in India

    Mirzapur season three becomes the most-watched show ever on Prime Video in India

    Mumbai: Following the remarkable success of its previous seasons, the much-loved series Mirzapur breaks new ground with its third season as both a local and global success. The raw, gritty and intense crime drama has become the most-watched show on its launch weekend in the history of Prime Video in India. Transcending geographies, the show has also scaled a global milestone as it trended in the ‘top 10’ titles’ list in over 85 countries worldwide on the launch weekend including India, U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, UAE, Singapore and Malaysia among others. Buoyed by the success of season three of Mirzapur, Prime Video is also developing season four of the show.

    The third chapter of the fan-favourite franchise has been applauded by viewers in India and beyond for its edgy narration, top-notch cinematography, high-production values and genre-defining performances. The series was streamed by viewers on Prime Video in over 180 countries and across 98 per cent of pin codes in India on its launch weekend.

    Reflecting on the milestone, Prime Video head of India originals Nikhil Madhok said, “It’s a hat-trick! The third season of the incredibly popular Mirzapur franchise has become the most-watched show on Prime Video India on its launch weekend, breaking all previous records, including those set by Season 2! This success highlights the strong connection that audiences have with the show’s relatable characters, making it a significant part of popular culture and everyday conversation.”

    Madhok added “We are thrilled to share this tremendous achievement with the fans who have made this franchise so iconic and beloved. This success would not have been possible without our steadfast collaboration with Excel Media and Entertainment and the tireless efforts of the cast and crew. Seeing the massive fanbase grow is humbling and exciting, and here at Prime Video we are committed to continuing to push the boundaries of storytelling.”

    Excel Media and Entertainment producer Ritesh Sidhwani added, “I am thrilled by the overwhelming response from the audiences, who have helped us grow strength to strength with each season. It’s their continued love and support, right from the first season, that has made our show a global sensation. This historic success is a result of the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our entire team, who went to great lengths to bring this season to life on screen. As we draw the curtains on yet another exhilarating season, we remain committed to bringing even more thrilling and engaging content to our loyal audiences.”

    Produced by Excel Media and Entertainment, Mirzapur Season 3 is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and Anand Iyer. This season boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal, Vijay Varma, Isha Talwar, Anjumm Shharma, Priyanshu Painyuli, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba Chadha, Meghna Malik and Manu Rishi Chadha. The ten-episode series is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video in India and across 240 countries and territories worldwide.

  • Prime Video’s ‘Bano Guddu Bhaiyya Ka Right Hand’ campaign attracts 50k organic users in 24 hours

    Prime Video’s ‘Bano Guddu Bhaiyya Ka Right Hand’ campaign attracts 50k organic users in 24 hours

    Mumbai: If there’s one thing, we know about the world of Mirzapur, it’s that loyalty is prized above all else. And now fans get to prove their loyalty to Mirzapur’s very own ‘Guddu Bhaiyya’. For the release of Mirzapur Season 3, Prime Video has given fans a direct line to the show’s character through WhatsApp where they can now become his right hand!

    Through a custom chatbot experience, the show’s loyal fans can speak to Guddu, complete a series of exciting missions, and immerse themselves in the show’s typical way of speaking. The bot promises a variety of AI-generated rewards – from personalized videos with Guddu Bhaiyya addressing them, to Mirzapur memes featuring themselves, and ending with a grand finale showdown featuring Guddu, Golu, and their enemy.

    Mirzapur’s sophisticated foray into AI has already garnered 50 thousand users completely organically in the first 24 hours with thousands more flocking to be Guddu Bhaiyya’s Right Hand. To try out the experience for yourself, simply send a ‘Hi’ to 9324965791!

    Produced by Excel Media & Entertainment, Mirzapur Season 3 is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and Anand Iyer. It boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Pankaj Tripathi, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal, Vijay Varma, Isha Talwar, Anjumm Shharma, Priyanshu Painyuli, Harshita Shekhar Gaur, Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba Chadha, Meghna Malik, and Manu Rishi Chadha. The ten-episode series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on 5 July.

  • Jio Studios & Reliance Entertainment brings epic web series ‘Paan Parda Zarda’

    Jio Studios & Reliance Entertainment brings epic web series ‘Paan Parda Zarda’

    Mumbai: Jio Studios unites exceptional creative minds with the launch of their high-octane gangster drama Paan Parda Zarda which went on the floor on 27 September. Conceptualised and produced in association with Reliance Entertainment and Dreamer and Doers Co, the web series will see a powerhouse of creative forces coming together including ace directors Gurmmeet Singh (Mirzapur and Inside Edge) & Shilpi Dasgupta along with Mrighdeep Singh Lamba (Fukrey franchise), Suparn S Varma (Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hain, Family Man and Rana Naidu) and talented writer duo Hussain Dalal & Abbas Dalal (Bambai Meri Jaan, Farzi, Brahmastra), Radhika Anand & Vibha Singh.

    The ensemble for Paan Panda Zarda boasts an impressive lineup of talent featuring Mona Singh, Tanvi Azmi, Tanya Maniktala, Priyanshu Painyuli, Sushant Singh, Rajesh Tailang and Manu Rishi. The grand-scale series will unfold against the backdrop of illustrious locations in Central India.

    Showrunner and co-director of the series Gurmmeet Singh said “We are excited about starting a brand-new journey with Paan Parda Zarda in collaboration with Jio Studios. The series has a unique colour and texture, it is page-turning entertainment with elements of love story, action, and family drama set against the backdrop of illegal opium smuggling in Central India. Developed from an original story created by Showrunner and Co-Director Shilpi Dasgupta, the interwoven relationships are the key to this series, nuanced by a fantastic writing room. We cannot wait to start filming with our phenomenally talented cast and crew”

    Showrunner Mrighdeep Singh Lamba said, “Paan Parda Zarda is a labour of love that has been created after years of research and writing prep. The audience will relish watching the story unfold in a previously unexplored milieu. This is a beautiful moment for Gurmmeet Singh, Shilpi Dasgupta and myself as it has been a long-standing dream to take this story to the audience”

    Writer, Suparn S Varma said, “Creating the romantic and violent world of Paan Parda Zarda was liberating. Our imagination gave wings to characters and situations which break the usual cinematic norm. The series also gave me the opportunity to collaborate with old friends and new which was an added advantage,  making the process deeply satisfying.”

    Paan Parda Zarda is a thrilling gangster drama series set against the backdrop of illegal opium smuggling in Central India. A compelling story where battle lines are drawn between family and loved ones and allegiances are switched, the series promises to be a powerful entertainer.

  • Disney+ Hotstar announces Indian adaptation of Irish show ‘Blood’

    Disney+ Hotstar announces Indian adaptation of Irish show ‘Blood’

    Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar, in association with All3Media International, is set to create the Indian adaptation of award-winning Irish show “Blood.” The show will be produced by Dreamers & Doers Co, a premium content studio owned by Reliance Entertainment.

    Helmed by Gurmmeet Singh as the showrunner, and directed by Mihir Desai, the Indian rendition of the show will have the same title. “The show is an intimate drama and psychological thriller about familial bonds, memories, and the past’s impact on the present,” said the statement.

    “We are elated to announce the Indian adaptation of award-winning drama Blood, thereby, further strengthening our thriller offerings,” said Disney+ Hotstar and Disney Star HSM Entertainment network head of content Gaurav Banerjee. “The demand for entertainment is rapidly evolving, and viewers’ want for new-fangled content is expanding. On our journey to engage with millions of viewers, we are delighted to be able to collaborate with the most prolific creative minds at All3Media International to present stories that defy narratives to satiate our viewer’s appetite for unparalleled entertainment experience.”

    “We are delighted to bring an Indian version of this fantastic drama that will join the growing roster of original content produced exclusively for Disney+ Hotstar,” said All3Media International EVP APAC Sabrina Duguet. “Sophie Petzal’s impeccable writing skillfully draws viewers into the story with its universally relevant themes and innovative take on the thriller-mystery genre, making Blood perfect for Indian adaptation, and we look forward to this gripping story about family, grief and truth arriving in India.

    “We believe in the power of stories that travel and are constantly looking for great subjects that we can bring to the Indian market,” said Dreamers & Doers Co CEO Namit Sharma. “Blood is a quintessential universal story – where fractured family dynamics come out to play with the matriarch’s death as a trigger. We have had a great relationship with All3Media International as we have adapted the series for the Indian market – their support in letting us make this version our own, has been enormous. Our showrunner Gurmmeet Singh and director Mihir Desai have crafted the series with passion and care and we couldn’t be prouder of this fact. Dark, delicious and deceptive – Blood is a family drama like no other.”

  • ‘Paatal Lok’ and ‘Mirzapur’ writers on creating content for OTT

    ‘Paatal Lok’ and ‘Mirzapur’ writers on creating content for OTT

    MUMBAI: A few digital shows have grabbed the attention of streamers in recent times, including Mirzapur and Paatal Lok. In a virtual conference with The Advertising Club Bangalore, writers Hardik Mehta and Gurmmeet Singh talk about their journey with Wavemaker VP Kishan Kumar.

    Mirzapur director Gurmmeet Singh said that he has been working on various kinds of films over the last 20 years and over the last five years that he’s been exploring the OTT ecosystem. Amazon Prime Video’s show Inside Edge creator and director Karan Anshuman wanted to work with Singh and the duo met for Mirzapur.

    Singh said that initially when the trailer was released people assumed it was similar to Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur. He said, “Later, people understood that it is a completely different series. A lot of credit goes to Mirzapur co-writer Puneet Krishna who has grown in the north belt. He had brought a lot of authenticity and humour to the show. The series had a different name before, but it was not going well with the story hence we changed it.”

    He further added that Mirzapur's story is underplayed and it was way more colourful on paper. In fact, a lot of casting choices were made considering the same aspect. The team decided to cast people who were endearing and more relatable. “Casting gave Mirzapur the leg to travel which sometimes other films and shows are not able to do. So, you have access to different countries, different people and these actors brought a lot of hope in an otherwise dark world,” he shared.

    Paatal Lok writer and national award winner Hardik Mehta has also been part of the entertainment industry for almost a decade. After quitting the foods and technology industries, Mehta joined an advertising firm as a copywriter. From there he developed an interest in filmmaking and documentary. Paatal Lok chief writer Sudip Sharma had seen his script for Kaamyab and roped him in. The shooting began in early 2017. 

    The show’s main reference point was from Tehelka ex-editor in chief Tarun Tejpal's book “The Story of my Assassins.” Mehta points out that the makers of the show wanted to create an investigative neo-noir kind story.

    He added, “Hathiram's world was completely created by us. We wanted a cop who is caught between personal and professional rut. He is a man who is caught between the cop world and bureaucratic nexus. We decided three main arcs of the show: firstly was Hathiram and his investigation, secondly the story was about the famous and left liberal journalist and as the country’s politics changed his personality changed and lastly, the story was around Hathiram’s personal story about his son and wife.”

    One of the unique things that Paatal Lok scriptwriters did was to submit their version of the episode every week. The best one was selected. 30 drafts were created for a ten-episode series.

  • India lacks bandwidth, financial ability to work in sequences like Hollywood

    India lacks bandwidth, financial ability to work in sequences like Hollywood

    MUMBAI: The last session of The Content Hub 2020 organised by Indiantelevision.com was moderated by Suraj Wanvari with screenwriter-director Karan Anshuman and director Gurmmeet Singh. The duo spoke on their learning while making shows for OTT platforms and the development process of Inside Edge and Mirzapur.

    In conversation with Wanvari, Anshuman and Singh spoke about their journeys as a writer and film director, challenges they faced, development of Inside Edge and Mizapur, OTT platforms, and the genres that will work well on OTT.

    Anshuman said, “Writing is my favourite part of filmmaking. While writing, we have to let the big idea win and we should allow them to come. Hollywood works on sequences and we want to work in the same manner but we don’t have that bandwidth or money to work in a similar format.”

    Singh said, “While in writing best idea wins, but as a director there is always a chance of improvisation as new ideas are always welcomed; it depends from case to case. We keep ourselves creatively open and engaging within the team.”

    Anshuman said, “There is a rigour about how streaming platforms access a project. On OTT there is a proper way of accessibility; there are good creative people who take their decisions.”

    Asked about which genres OTT platforms are looking at and what genres new writers should focus on, Singh said, “Gangster kind of stories has come to a saturation level; platforms are looking at comedy genre but it’s difficult to make them in long format.”

  • Sharafat gayi tel Lene to be released by Sony Pictures

    Sharafat gayi tel Lene to be released by Sony Pictures

    NEW DELHI:  The fun “con-com” film Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene produced by Devinder Jain and Akhilesh Jain and directed by Gurmmeet Singh is to be distributed by Sony Pictures India.

     

    The film starring Zayed Khan, Rannvijay Singh, Tina Desai and Anupam Kher with music by Meet Bros Anjjan and Dhruv Dhalla, will release pan India on 16 January 2015.

    The film is about Prithvi Khuranna (Zayed Khan), a middle class working professional who walks into an ATM booth and discovers that his bank balance has jumped from less than Rs. 5000 to over Rs. 100 crores. Obviously this windfall comes at a huge price. He receives a call from underworld’s most notorious don, ‘Dawood’.

     

    Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene is a comic caper set in the nation’s capital as the lives of three youngsters go topsy-turvy when they try and track down the origin of this mysterious money. The catchy first song “Selfiyaan” is already out online and is a tongue-and-cheek commentary on the ubiquitous social phenomenon of selfies.

    Trinity Group was established in 1979 and has a diverse businesses portfolio of Insurance, Re-insurance, infrastructure, retail and have now ventured into the entertainment industry. Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene is their maiden venture. The producers are excited about this film and assure total entertainment for the masses worldwide.

  • Get a little fishy on World Aids Day

    Get a little fishy on World Aids Day

    MUMBAI: In sync with the theme of its upcoming rip roaring comedy, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures’ What The Fish is planning a promotion with a twist.

     

    The cast of the movie will come out on the streets to promote safe sex among young adults 29 November, 2013. While Dimple Kapadia, who has a prominent role in the movie, will be a part of the campaign that will be carried out Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, other actors including Manjot Singh, Manu Rishi, Anand Tewari starring in the film will take the responsibility to distribute the free Kamasutra MTV Hardwear condoms.

     

    The film is set in Delhi and revolves around the theme of many crazy things that can happen when parents take a vacation and leave behind their kids giving them an opportunity to party.

     

    The two important characters in the film are ‘masi’ played by Dimple Kapadia and ‘mishti’ — the fish.

     

    The current campaign is an extension to some of the comic elements used in the film. Keeping its quirky theme in mind, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures is trying to create enough buzz with its distinctive activities.

     

    Viacom 18 Motion Pictures head or marketing and operations, Rudrarup Datta says that since it’s a small-budget film made in just Rs three crore, the team’s effort is promote it as creatively as it can. “We want to stand-out with the campaigns that we are planning. We want people to react with ‘what the fish’ when they come across any of our campaigns,” he says.

     

    In one of the earlier activities, the team placed fish bowls with several fish sellers branded with the film’s title, What the fish to create a buzz among the buyers who come to purchase fish. In other, they distributed fish bowls with a joint, condoms and marbles to media people. This time, the pack of the condoms has the tagline – ‘better use a condom than going what the fish’.

     

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures has always been known for its innovative marketing campaigns and with this film they want to prove that once again. Datta says that they are spending almost two-and-a-half crore on the overall promotional activity of the film.

     

    What The Fish is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and is slated for release on 13 December, 2013

  • Somethings fishy!

    Somethings fishy!

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 Motion Pictures brings to its audiences a rip roaring comedy What The Fish, this December, set in a Delhi house which is left empty apart from Mishti the fish when ‘Masi’ (the evergreen Dimple Kapadia) goes on a trip, leaving it to the niece. Starting with a crazy party the house becomes a center for some hilarious activity. Manu Rishi, Manjot Singh and Anand Tewari join the act with the unique comic timing.

     

    Directed by Gurmmeet Singh the film is co-produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Lightform Pictures Production and presented by Tipping Point Films.

     

    Known for creating a buzz with their unique and innovative ways to promote a film, the producers have a lot of context to do so with this particular venture taking a hint from some of the bizarre items which make an appearance in the movie (condoms, a joint, mardangi ki goliyaan to name a few).

     

    Viacom 18 Motion Pictures has sent across a fish-bowl package to various trade organisations, media houses, celebrities, twitter/digital influencers and radio jockeys; and this doesn’t end here – even Mumbai with its rickshaw-walla’s, and not to forget the machliwali’s and various commoners have been plastered with the curious case of a fancy fish bowl literally making the city go – What The Fish!

     

    “WTF is the most hilarious comedy that you are going to see in a while. The sheer craziness of the happenings in the film though entirely situational makes it unmissable. The movie demanded that we go beyond the cliché and create some ‘comic curiosity ‘ to brace audiences,” said Viacom18 Motion Pictures head of marketing & operations Rudrarup Datta.

    What The Fish is set for release on 13 December.