ITV

Tag: Parikshit Joshi

  • Five reasons why you should watch ‘Family Aaj Kal’

    Five reasons why you should watch ‘Family Aaj Kal’

    Mumbai: Remember the first time you wanted to introduce your partner to your parents? It can be the most nerve-wracking thing to do! And even if you feel your family is quite modern or open-minded, how quickly would that approach go out the window if they found out that the love of your life is a cab driver?!

    The latest dramedy by Civic Studios, “Family Aaj Kal,” explores a similar dilemma faced by Meher, a 20-something girl who decides to introduce her boyfriend, Gaurav, who is also a cab driver, to her family. A hilarious yet relatable portrayal of the generation gaps in every family, and a mirror to the class biases that any progressive middle-class family can fall victim to, “Family Aaj Kal” explores the quirky, wholesome world of the Kashyaps.

    Created by producer and Civic Studios founder Anushka Shah, along with director Parikshit Joshi and writer Manoj Kalwani, the five-episode show is streaming now on Sony LIV. Here are five reasons why you should watch this sweet dramedy with a big heart!

    Modern love with aaj kal ki family: What counts as modern love in today’s time? Meher’s parents have survived an interfaith marriage against their family’s wishes. So they’re sure they won’t let their children go through the same, like their ‘gaye-guzre’ elders. But when Meher falls in love with someone who is considered to be from a different class background, her family can’t see eye to eye due to their own concerns for their daughter’s future. Who will win in this battle of love vs class bias?

    Stellar ensemble cast led by Apoorva Arora: Fans of Apoorva Arora will be excited to see her in a brand new avatar for this family dramedy. After hit youth shows like College Romance and Firsts, her character Meher will strike a relatable chord in all youngsters caught between independence and family. She is joined by the extremely talented Sonali Sachdev as her mother. The entire cast was privileged to share screen with the late Nitesh Pandey as her father. Both parents light up the screen with their comic timing. Not to mention, fresh faces Prakhar Singh and Aakarshan Singh, and veteran Masood Akhtar.

    Dignity in every job: If we were to take a step back and notice, we would find a general distaste for blue-collar jobs among our friends and families. “Family Aaj Kal” takes a mirror to society to extend empathy, respect and dignity to professions like drivers. It also sheds a light to the struggles of Indian youth who, like Gaurav, Meher’s boyfriend, have graduated with esteemed degrees only to either be unemployed or work in a job where they’re overqualified.

    Beyond fairy tales: Usually, most movies end with people from two religions fighting against all odds to get married. But what happens when they are settled into their lives? We rarely ever see the happily-ever-after or just the regular lives of these couples. To see what her parents Faiza and Shekhar Kashyap have built for themselves is not only heartwarming but also gives hope for the future!

    Bridging the generation gap: Parents and children often have differing opinions on relationships, marriage, class, and everything in between. The journey of the Kashyaps is sweet, wholesome one where they figure how to bridge of these gaps with thoda empathy, forgiveness and acceptance by both sides!

    So don’t forget to tune into ‘Family Aaj Kal’, live on Sony LIV from 3 April onwards!

     

  • “Family Aaj Kal explores young India’s aspirations through a relatable family setup”: Anushka Shah

    “Family Aaj Kal explores young India’s aspirations through a relatable family setup”: Anushka Shah

    Mumbai: Premiering on 3 April on Sony LIV, a family-centric show – Family Aaj Kal, invites you to embark on a captivating journey through the complexities of modern family life.

    Produced by Civic Studios, a global media company focused on impactful entertainment, this eagerly anticipated show promises to resonate deeply with viewers. Featuring a stellar cast including Apoorva Arora, Sonali Sachdev, and the late Nitesh Pandey, the show is spearheaded by writer Manoj Kalwani, and director Parikshit Joshi, offering a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds against the vibrant backdrop of Delhi.

    Indiantelevision.com in conversation with Civic Studios’ founder Anushka Shah talked about the uniqueness of the show, certain nuances of the show and more…

    Edited Excerpts:

    On the inspiration behind creating Family Aaj Kal and what sets it apart from other family-centric shows

    Family Aaj Kal came about from wanting to explore how some of the problems we see around us in society play out in internal family dynamics. When it comes to choosing a child’s partner, we often see these biases clash with a parent’s desire to want what they see as best for their child. The show is extremely relatable in the way it explores young India’s aspirations through a family setup. It talks about the issue of unemployment in India, the overemphasis on jobs as an identity that often leads to class bias, and finally, the right to choose your own partner.

    On the collaboration between Civic Studios, Manoj Kalwani, and Parikshit Joshi for the production of Family Aaj Kal

    Manoj Kalwani had been a writer we were interested in working with at Civic Studios for a while, and when we conceptualised this project in-house we thought he would be the perfect fit. Parikshit had been a director working at Civic Studios on several of our YouTube comedy sketch videos – we felt his ability to bring a sensitive yet light-hearted approach would be ideal for this show.

    On the message or emotions that you aim to evoke through “Family Aaj Kal”

    The main emotion we want the audience to experience is what happens when we’re forced to challenge our own biases – it often starts with denial but ends in discovery, and that is a tough but beautiful journey to go on. In many ways, that is where change and progress at its most core level in a society happens.

    On choosing Delhi as the setting for “Family Aaj Kal” over other cities and the city’s unique characteristics that contribute to the storytelling and resonate with the audience

    Delhi was chosen as our target audience because the show concentrates on a young Hindi-speaking audience from North India. The family is shown to be urban and middle-class and they see themselves as modern and liberal, while also coming to terms with their own biases. Delhi became a reflective setting for the same, but the story would be relatable to audiences around the world and not just this city.

    On your vision for the future of Civic Studios, and the upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re particularly enthusiastic about

    At Civic Studios we aim to create content that is entertaining, engaging, and empowering. We have over 20 projects on our slate at different stages of production to release across feature films and web series. We recently had our animated feature film Schirkoa premiere at the Rotterdam Film Festival where it won the NETPAC award for Best Asian Film, and next month we start shooting in London on a very fun and exciting Christmas musical with Gurinder Chadha.