English Entertainment
Applause Entertainment to produce an Indian adaptation of ‘Fauda’ for Sonyliv
Mumbai: Applause Entertainment on Tuesday announced that it is producing the Indian adaptation of the globally acclaimed Israeli drama series Fauda which will stream exclusively on the OTT platform Sonyliv.
Hailed as one of the best Israeli shows, the Indian version of Fauda will be produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Applause Productions and is titled Taanav. The series will be helmed by national award-winning director Sudhir Mishra and co-directed by Sachin Mamta Krishn.
Set against the idyllic backdrop of Kashmir in the year 2017, Tanaav tells the story of a special covert ops unit. It is a socio-political action drama with family at its core.
Shot extensively in real locations in Kashmir over 100 days, the 12-episode series features an ensemble cast including Manav Vij, Sumit Kaul, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Arora, Arbaaz Khan, Zarina Wahab, Ekta Kaul, Waluscha De Sousa, Danish Hussain, Satyadeep Mishra, Sukhmani Sadana, Sahiba Bali, Amit Gaur, Arslan Goni, Rockey Raina, M.K. Raina, Sheen Dass, Aryaman Seth amongst others in prominent roles.
The actors for the show were cast by Mukesh Chhabra. Fauda is created by Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz & distributed by Yes Studios and is considered to be one of the best shows made in a foreign language. “The Indian adaptation has been reimagined for a larger Indian and global audience,” said the statement.
“Tanaav reaffirms our commitment towards presenting captivating and entertaining stories of depth and substance. With its compelling storyline, cinematography and stellar cast backed by Applause Entertainment and Sudhir Mishra, Tanaav will find resonance with our viewers,” said Sony Pictures Network India EVP and business head Sonyliv and StudioNext Danish Khan.
“A global sensation, Fauda was always a story waiting to cross borders and be adapted in a new setting,” said Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair. “We at Applause Entertainment find it immensely gratifying to bring an edge-of-the-seat drama of this calibre to Indian audiences, offering a new perspective to the human stories depicting all sides of the conflict. With filmmakers like Sudhir Mishra and Sachin Krishn at the helm, backed by a stellar cast and talented writing, creative and production teams, we are excited to partner with Sonyliv to bring this show to the world. This partnership only strengthens our already strong relationship with Sonyliv after successful collaborations on Scam 1992, Avrodh, Undekhi and Your Honor.”
“Applause Entertainment discovers some of the best international stories to be reimagined and adapted for Indian audiences,” said Sudhir Mishra. “As a filmmaker, Tanaav allowed me to explore a variety of characters and delve deep into their psyche. It is a true Indian story weaved into a tightly-knit action drama that highlights human emotions and the dilemmas they face. Cannot wait for the audience to binge-watch Tanaav, soon to launch on Sonyliv.”
“We are very happy and proud to hear about Tanaav, the Indian version of Fauda. It’s a true honour for us to learn how Fauda succeeded to touch the hearts of so many people from all over the world and especially in India,” said Fauda series co-creator Avi Issacharoff.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
