Jagame Thandhiram, Tribhanga to Ajeeb Daastaans: How OTT content helps showcase diversity in India
Movies (and now series) have always been a strong tool to reflect reality and influence popular opinion. Netflix has always believed in depicting diversity on screen with its Indian original content, right from its Tamil blockbuster film Jagame Thandhiram, a Dhanush-starrer that gives a glimpse into the lives of a South Indian community, to Ajeeb Daastaans, an anthology set in Mumbai that explores how emotional undercurrents can act as a catalyst of change in relationships. In keeping with this, the platform is investing in films productions that focus on stories that delve deeper into the socio-cultural fabric of India helps bring unique elements to the fore.
Here are a list of titles on the service that showcase various aspects of diversity:
Locations
India is a land of myriad landscapes and each one has a story to tell. Weaving in different, lesser-known locations into stories not only helps spotlight diversity but also gives us a chance to take stories from across various parts of the country to a wider audience.
Aranyak: A thriller series that marks Raveena Tandon’s OTT debut, was shot in Himachal Pradesh. A fictional town called Sirhona has been created for Aranyak, which features Dalhousie, Manali and Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary.
Kota Factory: Revolves around Kota – its students, its people and its coaching industry, was filmed in Rajasthan.
Little Things: The hit series about a young couple starring Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal, has been shot in picturesque locations across Kerala including Alleppey, Munnar and Kochi.
Ethnicities
For centuries together, India has been a country where people of varied hues of culture, religion, race, language, and so on, have lived together. This variety in race, culture, religion, etc. lends a unique dimension to the country’s socio-cultural fabric. It is this uniqueness that adds a special element to the kind of stories that originate from the country, which makes it different from anything else.
Axone: Named after a traditional Naga dish, follows the story of a group of friends from the North East who attempt to cook a special wedding feast for their friend. Sardar Ka Grandson, starring Arjun Kapoor and Neena Gupta, tells the story of a grandson who moves across borders to fulfill his ailing grandmother’s wish.
Backgrounds
Unity in diversity has always been one of the key factors that has set India apart. It is important to reflect this not just in terms of the stories on-screen but off-screen too with the crew and members across backgrounds, where each one brings something different to the table.
The Disciple: Directed by Chaitanya Tamhane, tells the story of a passionate vocalist who is devoted to Hindustani classical music. Some of the scenes feature real people, and not actors, who were invited on the sets during the filming of concert scenes.
Tribhanga: Tedhi Medhi Crazy, a trilingual film revolves around the lives of three women and their unconventional choices in life.
