Netflix announces survival drama show 'Kaala Paani'

Streaming service Netflix on Friday announced its new series Kaala Paani, a survival drama that marks filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker's return to acting.

Set in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the series is described as a "a grounded story about the fight for survival and questions audiences on how far they would go to survive", a press release stated.

The cast also includes Mona Singh, Amey Wagh, Sukant Goel, Arushi Sharma, Radhika Mehrotra, Vikas Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar and Poornima Indrajith.

As an actor, Gowariker is best known for featuring alongside Shah Rukh Khan in television series Circus, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Chamatkar. His most recent acting project was 2016 Marathi movie Ventilator.

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He made his directorial debut with 1993's Pehla Nasha and then directed critically-acclaimed and commercially successful movies such as Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa Akbar.

Kaala Paani marks the second collaboration between Netflix and Posham Pa Pictures after the 2022 film Jaadugar.

It comes from Sameer Saxena, who had directed Jaadugar. He serves as a showrunner and co-director on the project.

Saxena said Kaala Paani explores a fresh and uncharted genre in Indian storytelling.

"The series is a survival drama featuring an ensemble of characters who are all trying to escape the wrath of nature, as the vast sea confines them for thousands of kilometers. In this invisible battle between humans and nature, these individuals discover that their destinies are intertwined, not just with each other, but also with the environment," he added.

Tanya Bami, Series Head at Netflix India, said the streamer is always on the lookout for "fresh distinct ideas that have a wide appeal for our large audience base."

"We are extremely excited to announce Kaala Paani, a first of its kind survival drama, with compelling characters and deeply emotional storylines. This will be our second collaboration with Posham Pa Pictures, bringing the signature style of its immensely talented creator Sameer Saxena to our members," she said.

Kaala Paani is co-directed by Amit Golani, who also produces alongside Saxena, Biswapati Sarkar and Saurabh Khanna.