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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Zoya Akhtar-Ayesha Sood on 'In Transit': We wanted trans people to tell their own stories
New Delhi, The idea for "In Transit", a four-part docu series about the lives of trans and non-binary individuals, was born out of the many stories filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti came across while auditioning for a trans character in the second season of their critically-acclaimed series "Made in Heaven". Directed by Ayesha Sood and produced by Akhtar and Kagti through their Tiger Baby banner, "In Transit" is set to premiere on Prime Video on June 13. "Made in Heaven" has been praised for giving centrestage to LGBTQ individuals, first with a gay lead in Arjun Mathur's wedding planner Karan and then by introducing a trans character with Meher, who was played by Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, in season two. Zoya said they "got crazy feedback from the LGBT community" through the show as the community felt represented in an authentic way. "When we wrote a trans character, we realised we knew very little... So, we started interviewing people and the people that spoke to us were very honest and they shared a lot, including their dreams. Mehar was a specific kind of character, so that story came out of these interviews. "We realised that this is something that we need to expand on in a different format. They need to tell the audience their own story and we pitched that to Amazon Prime who went for it in one call so we are lucky," Akhtar told PTI in a virtual interview. The filmmaker said they decided to rope in Sood to direct the series as they wanted someone who could shepherd the project in an authentic way, without adding any shock value to it. Sood, a filmmaker, photographer and editor who runs the media company Jamun Collective, said when Akhtar and Kagti approached her with the idea, she was a little flummoxed as trans experience is a huge canvas. "I was like, 'How do you tell the story of trans people?' Like women in India, the canvas is huge... There are so many diverse experiences of being a woman in India, likewise, being trans in India is our baseline setting and it is vast, unique and complex. How do we bring that out in the stories? "So, we talk about things that are universally moving to all of us, like identity, our place in the world, our relationships with families and finding love. These are universal things that move everybody," Sood told PTI. The team had a long period of research, and eventually found a way as well as a structure to tell these stories. "The Indian idea of being trans is vast. So we wanted to get a broad range of stories and people from different contexts and we wanted to be uniquely rooted in India. These are real people from different walks of life who are expressing their trans-ness," Sood said. "It was also a matter of who could tell their stories to us. It's not easy for everyone to be on camera... These are tough lives, so it was also about who could actually tell us these stories," she added. "In Transit" is the second project from the documentary slate that Akhtar and Kagti are planning to produce through their banner, following "Angry Young Men", a cinematic exploration of iconic screenwriter duo Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan's filmography. A third, "Turtle Walker" by Taira Malaney, will chronicle the extraordinary journey of conservationist Satish Bhaskar. "There's a lot more exposure and I think people are interested in stories. Certain stories are good as short films, certain things lend themselves to eight hours of narrative. Certain things are good as features, and certain stories need to be told in their most authentic, true self," Akhtar said. Sood credited the OTT platforms for nurturing the format. "We now have a growing audience for documentaries. The platforms are entirely to be praised for this. They have brought documentaries into your living room and everybody is watching them. Along with it, the craft has also elevated." In "In Transit", Sood brings in a lot of pop culture references to describe the trans experience. The documentary explores the lives of nine individuals, including a classical musician from Bengaluru, a school educator from Tripura and a corporate professional in Mumbai. The director said these pop culture references show why representation matters, whether it is a film or a television serial like "Hum Paanch". "That's what people consume and spend their time being inspired, watching and discussing. It wasn't like I needed to get a Bollywood reference out here. It's the world that the characters live in. "And those are the things that struck them when they were growing up, like the first time they saw themselves on screen, or the first time they felt something about a character or love or any such thing," she said.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Superboys of Malegaon OTT release: When and where to watch Adarsh Gourav's critically-acclaimed film
Superboys of Malegaon OTT release: Prime Video has announced the streaming of Superboys of Malegaon on its platform. Taking to Instagram on Friday, Prime Video shared a post along with a video. Sharing the post, Prime Video captioned the post, "Small town. Big dreams. One unforgettable story (sparkles and movie camera emojis). #SuperboysOfMalegaon, Watch Now." (Also Read | Ektaa Kapoor blames audience for Superboys of Malegaon, Buckingham Murders failing at box office) An Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby production, the Amazon MGM Studios' Original movie is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Reema Kagti. Superboys of Malegaon released in theatres on February 28. Directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover, it features Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora in the lead roles. The film is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video in 240 countries and territories worldwide. A post shared by prime video IN (@primevideoin) The Hindustan Times review of the film read, 'Superboys of Malegaon is an unmissable ode to films. And a reminder- the audiences crave entertainment. While makers ponder about making franchises, sequels, or similar films just because one worked- movie lovers will go in for even brainrot, provided they have a good time.' Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. The residents of the town look to the Bollywood cinema for a much-needed escape from daily drudgery. Nasir gets inspired to make a film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. He bands together his ragtag group of friends to bring his vision to life, thereby bringing a fresh lease of life into the town. The film is a poignant yet uplifting take on both filmmaking and friendship, and what happens when those two worlds collide. The film received a standing ovation at its world premiere during the 49th Toronto International Film Festival and earned a Special Mention in the Young Cineastes Award category at the 36th Palm Springs International Film Festival. It was also honoured as Best Film at the inaugural edition of the National Indian Film Festival of Australia. The film has also been screened at international festivals such as the BFI London Film Festival and the Red Sea Film Festival.
News18
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Superboys of Malegaon OTT Release: When And Where To Watch Farhan Akhtar's Film Online?
Last Updated: Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. Prime Video has announced the exclusive global streaming premiere of the highly acclaimed movie, Superboys of Malegaon. An Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby production, the Amazon MGM Studios' Original movie is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Reema Kagti, and directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover. It features a highly talented ensemble cast, including Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora in the lead roles. The film is now streaming exclusively on Prime Video. Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. The residents of the town look to Bollywood cinema for a much-needed escape from daily drudgery. Nasir gets inspired to make a film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. He bands together his ragtag group of friends to bring his vision to life, thereby bringing a fresh lease of life into the town. The film is a poignant yet uplifting take on both filmmaking and friendship – and what happens when those two worlds collide. The film received a standing ovation at its world premiere during the 49th Toronto International Film Festival and earned a Special Mention in the Young Cineastes Award category at the 36th Palm Springs International Film Festival. It was also honoured as Best Film at the inaugural edition of the National Indian Film Festival of Australia. Critics have praised it as a 'resounding tribute to the oddballs who dream" celebrating its engaging narrative and authentic portrayal of grassroots filmmaking. Described as 'a jubilant celebration of the human spirit and a love letter to the art of storytelling," the film has resonated deeply with audiences. The film has been widely appreciated for its inspirational message and compelling characters, making it a must-watch for cinephiles worldwide. First Published:
