Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s biweekly segment where we highlight the TV shows and movies that are killing it in their local territories. The industry has never been more global, but new hits are popping up all the time in parts of the world and it can be hard to keep up. So we will do the hard work for you.
Our second breakout feature Taza Khabar, an Indian streaming series about a man who learns to predict the future. This is the biggest new hit of Disney+ Hotstar of 2023.
Of: Taza Khabar
Country: In the
Pennant: Disney+ Hotstar
Manufacturer: BB Ki Vines Productions
Sales person: Disney
Where to see: Hello
For fans of: The invention of lying, Hello Bombay!, Slumdog Millionaire
RRRThe historic Oscar push confirmed the growing influence of Indian content on global audiences, but the action thriller is not the only title from the country to cross borders. With one of the most competitive streaming markets in the world, India and its streamers have its scripted series and Taza Khabar is the latest example.
The Disney+ Hotstar comedy-fantasy-thriller-drama combo about a humble plumber who discovers he can predict the future has been popular since it launched on India’s leading streaming platform on January 6. The title literally means “new news” – the man’s ability to see things before they happen is central to the story. Reviews in India are mixed, but Parrot Analytics data bears this out Taza Khabar was instantly one of the most popular Indian shows in the US, where it is available on Hulu. The creators say it’s reminiscent of the supernatural mechanics of the Ricky Gervais feature The invention of lying alongside the rags-to-riches feel of Slumdog Millionaire.
In its native country, the Hindi series has attracted a young audience – no surprise considering it was created by Bhuvan Bam, whose YouTube channel BB Ki Vines is one of the most popular domestically with 26 million subscribers. His mantra is simple. “We want to create stories to tell people while maintaining as much creative control as possible,” he tells Deadline. For example, BB Ki Vines Productions, which owns the Bam studio Taza Khabar Co-creator Rohit Raj, who will spoof their YouTube productions, is the show’s executive producer.
The series is based on a one-pager by Abbas and Hussain Dalal, who co-wrote Bam’s eight-part social media comedy. Dhindora, and was initially planned as a feature film. Bam says the idea came from Dallas’ father and was a step into the unknown for him, as it was more dramatic than his background in comedy sketches and shows. “I’ve been in comedy for six or seven years and it was a big step for me to move from that to drama, but I knew I had to do it. The one-browser was so unique that I decided it should be my first OTT project.”
In the show, Bam plays Vasant “Vasya” Gawade, a classic Mumbai slum character whose only respite is Madhu, a sex worker. However, he is given the power to see the news before it happens. He sets out to reverse his luck and build his fortune: first selling a vintage vase, then helping a contestant win a game show, then betting on the outcome of a cricket tournament. However, his success raises the suspicions of the police and he begins to change his personality.
The series reiterates the nature of luck, with Vasya at one point wondering, “Is this a blessing or is fate playing tricks on me?” It ends on a big cliff, and Bam is already discussing ideas for a second run with his team.
Mahesh Manjrekar, Shriya Pilgaonkar, JD Chakravarthy and Deven Bhojani are among the other stars.
Himank Gaur, another one Dhindora Alumni, is affiliated as a director. He was also drawn to the underdog story and the setting of the script. “It relates to me because I lived in the tier two and three areas of Mumbai that you see on the show,” he says. “I knew we had to keep the actors, costumes, accents and scene very real because we were entering the fantasy world and it was easy to overdo it. Everything in the show has to be very authentic.”
BB Ki Vines teamed up with Saurabh Lokhande and Jarvis Menezes to make music a central pillar of the show, mixing modern genres like Indian rap with ’80s Bollywood beats,” says Bam. “If the music is good in India, the show immediately becomes attractive to people.”
“Our show had to look rich”
Getting the music, tone, color palette, design and costuming right was a good investment for Disney+ Hotstar and Gaur says the streamer is tailor made. “To be honest, I never knew what the budget was, and I still don’t know today,” he says. “I just asked and they sorted it out or found alternatives which just shows how much they want to put out a good product.
“In the last 20 years, there have been a handful of shows in India that have been good, but in terms of [cinematographic] Quality did not stand in the way game of thrones or successor Is. We needed that cinematic look and it was only thanks to OTT that we got it.”
“When Netflix and the other streamers came to India, suddenly we were watching sacred games And criminal law‘ adds Bamm. “I realized that if we’re going to get out of YouTube production, our shows have to look this rich. Otherwise the contrast would be too much and it would look like a YouTube sketch.”
Bam notes that new Indian titles are gaining popularity worldwide as they begin to better reflect the very different realities of Indian life, just like South Korea. “I always feel Squid Game is the biggest show in the world, because they have never been ashamed of the culture — a no-fuss attitude,” he says. “That’s why people in the West like these shows. Our show and RRR have the same approach.
“We tell our stories about India and do not try to copy the West. This is a very Indian story, but if subtitled well, it can travel very well. My cousin who lives in Seattle saw it on Hulu. He showed his campus a show and they loved it. With the help of the internet, Indian content is making an impact.”
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
