NEW DELHI : American streaming service Netflix will premiere its latest India original Mai on 15 April. The show stars Sakshi Tanwar, Vivek Mushran, Seema Pahwa and Raima Sen, has been produced by Anushka Sharma's Clean Slate Filmz and directed by Anshai Lal and Atul Mongia.
Netflix had earlier partnered with Clean Slate Filmz on Bulbbul.
"Mai is a signature Netflix series that brings together defining storytelling, nuanced performances and a deeply thought-provoking journey of a mother’s run-ins with crime and criminals. Set in an intriguing world, Mai brings together everything our audiences love and enjoy," Tanya Bami, series head, Netflix India said in a statement.
To be sure, while mainstream film-makers are still reluctant to feature older female actors in lead roles, offering them smaller supporting roles instead, streaming platforms are increasingly exploring storylines that can accommodate them as protagonists. Earlier this month, Netflix announced that Kareena Kapoor Khan will make her digital debut with a yet-to-be titled film, to be directed by Sujoy Ghosh, best known for thrillers such as Kahaani and Badla. The murder mystery will also star Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma. The film is reportedly based on the 2005 novel The Devotion of Suspect X.
The Reed Hastings-owned platform added 8.3 million subscribers globally in the October to December quarter, on the back of its blockbuster Korean television series Squid Game, along with two big film releases—Don’t Look Up and Red Notice. However, overall, the service that has clocked in 222 million paid memberships worldwide, saw net additions in 2021 decline by more than 50%, to 18 million versus 37 million in 2020. The company follows the calendar year. In the Asia and Pacific region, large parts of which continue to see covid-induced disruption, the platform increased paid memberships by 2.6 million (versus 2 million in the year ago quarter) with strong growth in both Japan and India, Netflix had said.
In December, Netflix slashed rates by 18-60% across plans in India, in an effort to woo wider audiences and deepen penetration. The company has announced local productions in collaboration with popular actors and directors in India such as Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Heeramandi), Vishal Bhardwaj (Khufiya), Zoya Akhtar (an Archie Comics adaptation), among others.
