ITV

Tag: Nimisha Sajayan

  • Prime Video addresses the ‘Elephant in the Room’ through a marketing campaign for its upcoming Original Series Poacher

    Prime Video addresses the ‘Elephant in the Room’ through a marketing campaign for its upcoming Original Series Poacher

    Mumbai: Ahead of its highly anticipated global premiere, Amazon Original Series Poacher, has ignited intrigue and excitement, with its powerful and gripping storyline. The thrilling crime series, based on true events, is a heart-wrenching and captivating presentation by none other than Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Richie Mehta, starring Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Mathew, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in pivotal roles

    While the crime series promises to engage audiences with its gripping storyline, it will also shed light on the extensive scale of ivory poaching, based on a real life case that took place in Kerala in 2015. Through strategic initiatives designed to ignite intrigue and awareness, and to build dialogue the streaming service has created life-sized installations in prominent locations across the country.

    From oversized faux elephant tusks in glass boxes at prominent locations in Mumbai to highlight the scale of the issue, to elephant crime scenes in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, the service has been successful in creating conversations about the issue of wildlife crime, to strongly convey that – “Murder is Murder”- be if of a human, or an animal. The elephant crime scenes are located in areas such as Mumbai’s Bandstand and Powai, Delhi’s Janakpuri and Saket, and Bengaluru’s Shantiniketan.

    Poacher promises to offer viewers a glimpse of a global issue that has not been widely explored on screen – the world of wildlife crime. While the show emphasizes on elephant poaching, it does it through the lens and tonality of a crime thriller, by highlighting one of the biggest ivory poaching cases in Indian history. Based on court documents and testimonials, Poacher is a series that aims to provoke the urgent issue of wildlife crime. The series aims to engage audiences and allow them to discover the story’s deeper message as they watch it. With its unique storytelling and powerful message, the show will leave a lasting impression on audiences worldwide.

    The show highlights the exceptional efforts of Indian forest service officers, NGO workers from the Wildlife Trust of India, police constables, and good samaritans who risked their lives to investigate the largest ivory poaching ring in Indian history. Produced by QC Entertainment in association with Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions, Suitable Pictures and Poor Man’s Productions, Poacher which primarily unfolds in Malayalam, Hindi and English will be available to stream in 240 countries and territories, starting 23 February in 35+ Indian and foreign languages.

  • Alia Bhatt joins as executive producer for Amazon Original crime series ‘Poacher’

    Alia Bhatt joins as executive producer for Amazon Original crime series ‘Poacher’

    Mumbai: Prime Video today announced that actor, producer and entrepreneur, Alia Bhatt has come onboard as executive producer for its upcoming Amazon Original series Poacher, produced by QC Entertainment. An investigative crime series based on true events; Poacher unearths the largest ivory poaching ring in Indian history. A first-of-its-kind project, Poacher brings the world of environmental conservation and entertainment together with the intent of highlighting a key global concern – illegal poaching. Emmy-award-winning filmmaker Richie Mehta has created, written, and directed the series, which boasts of a diverse and talented cast comprising Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Mathew, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in pivotal roles. Poacher which unfolds primarily in Malayalam, Hindi and English, is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on February 23 in multiple languages. The crime series is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime members in India enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership, for just Rs 1499/ year.

    A globally celebrated artist, Alia is also known as a champion of nature and has actively lent her voice towards conservation and sustainability. Her association with Poacher as an executive producer with her production company Eternal Sunshine Productions, underscores her belief in the story and her commitment to bring important and relevant stories alive and be a voice for the voiceless.

    Talking about coming onboard as the executive producer for Poacher, Alia Bhatt shared, “Being part of this incredibly significant project is an honor, for both me and the entire team at Eternal Sunshine Productions. The impact of Poacher was deeply personal, and Richie’s portrayal of the urgent issue of wildlife crime resonated strongly with me and the team. The storytelling genuinely moved me, especially knowing it’s based on true events, that sheds light on brutal crimes occurring in our forests. I am confident that Poacher will serve as an eye-opener, delivering a powerful message to be more compassionate and considerate towards all living beings. It’s a call to embrace coexistence and I am genuinely thrilled to be collaborating with Richie, QC and Prime Video and to contribute to this narrative.”

    “Alia coming on board Poacher is truly a dream come true. In addition to being a world-class actress she has proven to be a selfless philanthropist channeling her well-respected and earned celebrity status for championing positive causes. Her involvement in this series helps raise awareness for the important issues addressed in the show. The most important of which is, we are all one interconnected humanity and planet. It’s crucial that we treat it with the respect and consideration it deserves,” said QC principals Hamm, Mansfield & McKittrick.

    Poacher is executive produced by QC Entertainment’s Edward H. Hamm Jr., Raymond Mansfield and Sean McKittrick, in association with Suitable Pictures, Poor Man’s Productions and Eternal Sunshine Productions. Alan McAlex (Suitable Boy) serves as producer for Suitable Pictures. Also from Delhi Crime are director of photography Johan Aidt, composer Andrew Lockington and editor Beverley Mills.

    Apart from her pursuits in cinema, Alia has passionately helped raise awareness about relevant causes such as environmental sustainability, animal welfare and mitigating human-animal conflict through her platform, Coexist. She also promotes sustainable fashion through her initiative, Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe.

  • Nayattu movie review: A raw take on the Indian political circus

    Nayattu movie review: A raw take on the Indian political circus

    KERALA: At a time when police highhandedness, use of excessive force and collusion between lawmakers and lawkeepers has come under scrutiny in the US, India and other parts of the world, Malayalam political thriller Nayattu enters the fray with a story in which the ”hunter becomes the hunted”. It also examines the twin themes of truth and justice and how these notions get twisted by the powers that be to suit their interests.

    The film, whose title means ‘the hunt’, stars Joju George, Kunchakko Boban, Nimisha Sajayan, Jaffar Idukki, and Yama Gilgamesh in the lead roles. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Martin Prakkat, Nayattu is now streaming on Netflix.

    Political agenda serves justice

    The film revolves around three police officers, Maniyan (Joju George), Praveen Michael (Kunchakko Boban), and Sunitha (Nimisha Sajayan). The movie begins at a point where Michael, a civil police officer, is assigned to the local police station, where he befriends Maniyan, the assistant sub inspector, and Sunitha, a woman police officer. 

    It is the election season in Kerala, and political parties in the state are fully focused on consolidating their voter base. Governance has taken a back seat in the heat of the electoral race, and even the chief minister is compelled to agree to the demands put forward by low-ranking cadres. At this point, Maniyan, Michael, and Sunitha get involved in a hit-and-run case, where the victim is a youngster who belongs to a political outfit that has ties with the ruling dispensation. An unexpected turn of events makes the trio the suspects of a murder case, and they soon escape from the station until the election wraps up. 

    Thus, a game of cat and mouse begins. The police start searching for the trio, who feel like they’ve sunk into a nightmare where they’re being investigated and hunted by their colleagues. The rest of the story deals with politics, survival, and how the state machinery can stifle justice from prevailing in society. 

    Several critics have been quick to pan how the movie’s climax tapers offs into an abrupt ending. However, this reviewer would like to highlight this open ending as one of the biggest strengths of Nayattu; it poses pointed questions to people who live in a society where police officers often turn into pawns of the ruling party. 

    Flawed policemen in a broken system

    The initial moments of the movie show ASI Maniyan manipulating a case where a young man is being framed for alleged trespass and murder attempt. With these scenes, the director tries to convey how the affluent class in the society is making use of police officers to manipulate the judicial system in the country. However, when police officers turn victims, they become prey of their colleagues, who have nothing much to do apart from obeying the orders from the top. 

    Nayattu: A movie made with international standards

    Nayattu is blessed with some spellbinding performances from its lead actors. Joju George excels in the role of ASI Maniyan, who tries hard to manage his personal and professional life. Kunchakko Boban, who is often labeled as a chocolate hero in the industry, proves yet again that he is an actor with unexplored mettle. He truly brings alive Praveen Michael, and deserves a special round of applause for this effort. For a brilliant actress like Nimisha Sajayan, the role of Sunitha was a cakewalk. 

    The script is penned by Shahi Kabir, who has previously written the screenplay for the acclaimed blockbuster Joseph. Being a police officer in real life, Kabir’s detailing has played a crucial role in elevating the overall mood of the film. Shyju Khalid’s cinematography and Mahesh Narayanan’s slick editing were also top-notch. 

    Final verdict: Nayattu is a take on contemporary Kerala politics where caste plays a crucial role in determining the prevalence of justice in society. Coming against the backdrop of the just concluded assembly polls, the film is sure to put the recent political events in the state into perspective. The film humanises policemen and gives a deep dive into the people and psyche beneath the khaki uniform – vulnerable, flawed and fallible, just like the rest of us.