EXCLUSIVE: Disney+ Hotstar goes behind the scenes of Bollywood.
The Indian streamer’s latest scripted series, show timewill explore the colour, power struggle and ambition of Bollywood and those who work in the industry.
The drama comes from Dharmatic Entertainment by screenwriter Sumit Roy and Karan Johar. Emraan Hashmi, Mahima Makwana, Mouni Roy and Naseeruddin Shah play the lead roles, while Rajeev Khandelwal and Shriya Saran also play ‘central’ roles. Mihir Desai is the showrunner, and he will be the director along with Archit Kumar.
Bollywood women And Call me Bae Produced by creator Dharmatic, this is the first time the Mumbai-based production house and Disney+ Hotstar are collaborating on an original scripted series. The couple is already working together on the popular Indian chat show Coffee with Karanwhich starred Dharmatic founder Johar and ran for seven seasons.
show time is billed as “an epic saga of legacy and ambition in the world of cinema” and offers a “preview into what lies behind Bollywood’s multi-billion dollar industry, nepotism and the power struggle at the top.”
The series will launch on the streamer next year. You can see a first trailer here.
“Working with Dharmatic Entertainment has always been a wonderful experience and success Coffee with Karan is a testament to this,” said Gaurav Banerjee, Head – Content, Disney+ Hotstar & HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star.
“The next story we wanted to tell was about Bollywood and its trade secrets. So who better than Karan Johar, who has been the heart of the industry and also the center of nepotism talks? We hope Showtime brings a new flavor to the world of Bollywood that fans will enjoy.”
Karan Johar, founder and managing director of Dharmatic Entertainment, added: “show time is a series close to my heart that offers a deeper look into the power struggle of showbiz. The show ensures that battle lines are drawn and crossed and the camera rolls as the audience claps.
“To tell such a strong and powerful story, there could not have been a better partner than Disney+ Hotstar. We are very excited and want to bring it to the public and hope that they will enjoy the series.
Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Productions & Dharmatic, said that the series will “delve into the world of Bollywood, the production houses and their functioning” and added, “The series is embroiled in power struggles and will surely entertain the audience.”
Lead actor Hashmi said he has seen “both the good and bad side” of Bollywood.
“We have always seen that audiences yearn to know more about what happens behind the closed doors of Bollywood and I must say, we heard you all,” he added. “Get ready to delve deep into the stories of Bollywood”
Disney+ Hotstar offers over 100,000 hours of TV shows and movies in 10 languages and coverage of major global sporting events. Rumors that parent company Disney India will be sold to Reliance before the end of the year have become increasingly popular in recent weeks.
If the $10 billion deal goes through, the joint operation will include TV channels Disney+ and Viacom18, as well as streamers Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema. This would give the company a monopoly on the highly valuable Indian Premier League cricket rights, as Disney acquired the linear broadcast rights and Viacom18 acquired the streaming rights in last year’s auction.
Source: Deadline
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
