Ronnie Screwvala to come up with new project 'The Support Group'

Mumbai [India], September 23: Producer Ronnie Screwvala is coming up with a web series titled 'The Support Group'.

Swati Bhat

On Wednesday, RSVP in association with House of Talkies announced their upcoming project, 'The Support Group', an edge-of-the-seat series that is truly Indian but unlike anything else out there just yet. Prashant Nair has come on board as the director/showrunner. Produced by RSVP, with Sidharth Jain as the co-producer, 'The Support Group' is the story of 3 characters from very different backgrounds who form an uneasy alliance to escape the consequences of an accidental killing. It is a multi-season series about normal, everyday people pushed to the brink, deeply conflicted by the choices that have led them to the very dark places they find themselves in.

This would be Prashant and Sidharth Jain's ( House of Talkies ) second collaboration, having just completed shooting for the show 'Trial By Fire', a limited series soon to be released on a major OTT Platform. "With 'The Support Group', our goal is to create the kind of show that keeps you on the edge of your seat, full of twists and gasp-out-loud moments you can't help but binge straight through the night. A show that pushes the envelope and doesn't hold back from shocking - but never gratuitously and always with integrity. A show full of iconic moments made to be discussed endlessly during lunch breaks and cocktail hours," Ronnie said.

Echoing the same sentiment, Prashant adds, "It's great to collaborate with RSVP, known for churning out-of-the-box and clutter-breaking successful stories on celluloid. The darkness depicted in 'The Support Group' will be infused with humour and irony, ensuring that for every shudder there's also a laugh. The show will dig deep into the rich cultural heritage and nuances of contemporary life in India as a springboard for what will hopefully be a unique viewing experience." "Really excited to produce my second series with Prashant Nair as director/showrunner and a first with RSVP. Have always looked up to Ronnie and couldn't have found a better mentor and partner for this project. Just as we created a universe of stories based on books, at The Story Ink, with House of Talkies, we are producing a compelling slate of high-concept projects, both series and films, beginning with The Support Group" said Sidharth Jain, Producer, House of Talkies.

Details regarding the series' cast have not been revealed yet.

#thecommunique #tc #tcn #OTT

ZEE5 announces original espionage-drama series, ‘Mukhbir - The Story of a Spy’ on Independence Day

Mumbai [India], August 17: Directed by Shivam Nair and Jayprad Desai, ‘Mukhbir – The Story of a Spy’ is a tribute to India’s unsung heroes, the secret agents

Swati Bhat

ZEE5, India's largest home-grown video streaming platform, announced today – on India’s 75 th Independence Day - its next original series – Mukhbir – The Story of a Spy. Directed by Shivam Nair and Jayprad Desai, ‘Mukhbir – The Story of a Spy’ is an inspiring story of India’s secret agent in Pakistan who rose to the occasion to save the nation and turn the tide of the war in his country’s favour. The gripping spy thriller is set to premiere on ZEE5 this year and stars Zain Khan Durrani, Prakash Raj, Adil Hussain, Barkha Bisht, Harsh Chhaya, Satyadeep Mishra and Zoya Afroz in prominent roles.

‘Mukhbir – The Story of a Spy’ is the untold story of India’s secret agent who led India to evade several aggressive advances from the enemy country by providing intelligence and by helping India win the 1965 war. Produced by Victor Tango Entertainment, the series spans across 8 episodes and is a tribute to those unsung heroes who live in the shadows and give their life for the safety of the country. This series is an intimate look into the sacrifices they make for their country without ever being named or celebrated.

Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 India, said, “On India’s 75 th Independence Day, we are delighted to announce ‘Mukhbir – The story of a Spy’ and stand proud to bring the story of India’s secret agent who played a monumental role with limited resources during the 1965 war for our global audiences. As the largest homegrown video streaming platform, we have constantly endeavored to curate a slate that reflects India’s cultural diaspora, legacy and unearths the hidden stories of the unknown heroes. ‘Mukhbir’ is one such story with an intriguing plot and an engaging storyline that shall keep the audiences hooked to their screens. Expanding our creative ecosystem, we are happy to partner with Victor Tango Productions in bringing this unknown story to the masses under the aegis of director Shivam Nair and the phenomenal performances of the star cast, who have brought this story to life. We are eager to see the response, as we are certain that the show will undoubtedly strike a chord with everyone connected to or belonging to our country.

Nimisha Pandey, Chief Content Officer – Hindi Originals, ZEE5 said, “Mukhbir is the untold story of a spy who defied the odds and single-handedly enabled India to evade several aggressive advances from the enemy country during the 1965 war. The story speaks of a time when there were barely any advanced gadgets or technology, and espionage meant physically infiltrating the enemy lines, at a time when the rules of spy craft were not even written. Espionage dramas have been high on the audiences’ watch-list for its adventure and thrill coupled with a relatable and humane story of an individual. With Mukhbir, we intend to take viewers on a journey, by narrating a human story of a spy as well as showcasing important events set in the India of early 60s. We are glad to associate with Victor Tango Productions for this riveting story, directed by Shivam Nair bringing out an enthralling performance by the talented star-cast. We are furthermore delighted to announce this show on India’s 75 th Independence Day and are confident that this new series from ZEE5 will be relatable to every viewer, making them proud of our nation and our heroes.”

Producer Vaibhav Modi said, “Creating a period drama with true historic events as the backdrop is a challenge as well as an opportunity. We are grateful to team ZEE5 for extending this opportunity to

Victor Tango and are very proud of ourselves to have turned this challenge into a brilliant series. It's a unique story of how some exemplary men and women work in the shadows to ensure the safety of

India. ‘Mukhbir – The Story of a Spy’ will premiere exclusively on ZEE5 soon”.

#thecommunique #tc #tcn #zee5 #OTT

Hollywood Film Producer, Sweta Rai Launches An OTT Channel on India's Independence Day

During the celebration of India’s 75th Independence Day, India’s daughter, Hollywood film producer, and a tech-entertainment entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley, Sweta Rai launches a first-of-its-kind OTT channel, Diverse Cinema.

Swati Bhat

This OTT was launched in the USA on American Independence Day, the fourth of July this year. Sweta became the first Indian woman to establish a diversity streaming channel for independent films in America and the World on USA Independence Day.

Founder & CEO of Diverse Cinema, Sweta Rai, is an immigrant from India who moved to the US a decade ago from Singapore. She has pursued her master's education in the USA and is the recipient of several other master's degrees and international awards. She recalls, "Back in the 90s, when I was growing up in a small town in India, the only exposure we had to foreign films was through Hindi dubbed Jurassic Park or Jumanji. I would have never dreamt of being a part of Hollywood one day. It took me almost two decades to do this; imagine, with technology, I can give this platform to any dreamer from the remotest cities of India to connect with a Worldwide audience. In the next few months, we will be available on most of the TV sets and devices of the world where content is streamed." Sweta's streaming service, Diverse Cinema www.diversecinema.com, aims at bridging the gap between independent filmmakers and access to the streaming channel where they can monetize their content.

Based in San Francisco, Diverse Cinema is becoming a hub for independent filmmakers. According to the Diverse Cinema Founder, "As a former independent filmmaker myself, I have been on the other side of the business when I was chasing streaming platform biggies to distribute my films. I would wait for months to hear a ‘no’ sometimes; as an independent filmmaker who has spent every dime on making a film, waiting even for a few days adds up to the expenses. On our channel, films could go live between 2-3 days if all the assets are submitted correctly." Diverse Cinema is adding NFT technology to allow filmmakers to sell original content through NFTs. With a stellar team of technology veterans, including Stanford/ Harvard alums, Ms. Rai is taking the message of diversity and inclusion to a different level.

Following soft launches, the Channel aims for its official launch in various countries in the next few months. Ms. Rai has produced multiple feature films with the likes of Late James Caan (Godfather), Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy), Bo Derek (Tarzan), and some of her mentors during the Hollywood journey are Neil Canton (Back to the Future), Robert Cort (Jumanji). She is also the Founder & CEO of Indo Holly Films, a production studio through which she has produced ‘A Pandemic: Away From the Motherland,’ which was in the race for the OSCARS and bagged her ‘Most Innovative Film Production CEO (LA)’ award by Acquisition International magazine.

Diverse Cinema welcomes all content creators to submit their finished family-oriented feature films, web series, animated shows, documentaries, music videos, and short films directly to their platform’s content creators’ page. The content is reviewed daily to give the creators the opportunity for a worldwide release and put pricing to it to monetize. Now playing worldwide on Diverse Cinema exclusive films like the first found footage film (Indian regional) 'Vazhiye,' films based on Immigrant journey, a Spanish drama 'An American Posada,' Telegu cinema's investigative thriller, 'Life of 3,' Italian mob Godfather-like web series, and an Italian comedy feature 'Kidnappings, blackmail and a doghouse,' an Indian farmer's inspirational story 'Ek Kisan Rajput,' Cannes Lions' award-winning documentaries, social message films like 'In God We Trust,' zombie apocalypse thrillers like 'III-Day,' more and more diverse films are added every day on the platform. Diverse Cinema also presents a vast bouquet of Southeast Asian Cinema which aims to bring Indo-Hollywood content to a larger screen.

"There is diversity everywhere in India and the world, from North to South and East to West; we bring this channel for audiences to cherish diversity by watching Independent films from all regions, genders, communities, and countries," adds Sweta.

#thecommunique #tc #OTT #tcn #entertainment