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.
