MAM
Applause Entertainment’s ‘Rasbhari’ becomes the first Indian series to be officially selected for the Series Mania International Festival
MUMBAI: Applause Entertainment’s delightful coming-of-age series ‘Rasbhari’ is all set to create a new benchmark for Indian content, as it becomes the first ever Indian series to be selected for the Short Forms Competition at the prestigious Series Mania International Festival, in France.
Series Mania International Festival, at Lille in France, brings together the most renowned names of the global series universe together on one common platform.
Rasbhari has been selected alongside the best in the world for the Short Forms Competition, namely – Break Up (France), Drive (Singapore), Fourchette (Canada), Germain s'éteint (Canada), Hell Is Other People (Denmark), M (Argentina), People Talking (Spain), State of the Union (United Kingdom) and ZéroStérone (France). The global audience at Series Mania will also get to see the world premiere of two episodes of Rasbhari.
Produced and co-created for Applause by Tanveer Bookwala, written by Shantanu Shrivastava and directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt, ‘Rasbhari’ is a coming of age love story, set in the Hindi heartland of small-town Meerut. Shantanu’s sparkling writing with his delectable turn of phrase, delightful local dialect and wicked sense of humour, coupled with Nikhil’s deft direction makes every character in this delightful dramedy love story comes alive. Headlining a terrific cast of actors, the critically acclaimed actor, Swara Bhasker plays the stern English Teacher – Shanu madam, who is the object of attraction for not only our young hero Nand (Ayushmaan Saxena), but also the entire male population of Meerut. The show also features Rashmi Agdekar, Pradyuman Singh, Neelu Kohli and Chitranjan Tripathi in pivotal roles, and the title music has been composed by Chirantan Bhatt.
“'We are delighted to represent India at the esteemed Series Mania International Festival, France. Good content has a global resonance, and our selection into the much sought after Series Mania Competition is a strong validation of this belief. Working in close collaboration with Team Applause, Tanveer, Shantanu and Nikhil have created a sparkling gem of storytelling, which is now finding an audience across borders and continents. We are excited to showcase this labour of love at the festival and are looking forward to stream it soon for viewers all over the world,” says Sameer Nair, CEO Applause Entertainment.
Tanveer Bookwala, Founder – Creative Director of Ding Entertainment added, “Rasbhari (literally translated to ‘juicy’) is many parts sexy and all part social satire. We have created a delightfully quirky and heart-warming tale, set in the landscape of exotic small town India that we hope will appeal to prudes and poets alike.”
Swara Bhasker adds, “The artiste in me was thrilled to be a part of a unique narrative like ‘Rasbhari’ and I’m now beyond thrilled to know that our series has been selected for the prestigious Series Mania International Festival! Thank you Tanveer and Ding for pulling this together, Shantanu for the writing, Nikhil for bringing it to life, my wonderful co-stars, especially Ayushmaan Saxena (Nand) and Applause Entertainment for their bold belief in us.”
Rasbhari will be streaming soon on a digital platform near you.
Brands
Thermocool rolls out Navratri campaign on trains and stations
Nine day digital push blends devotion and storytelling for travellers
NEW DELHI: Thermocool Home Appliances has launched a high-visibility digital campaign during Navratri, turning railway stations and trains into storytelling spaces that blend culture with brand engagement.
The nine-day campaign spans key high-footfall locations including Katra, Anand Vihar, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj and Moradabad, along with the Vande Bharat Express on the Delhi-Katra route. Travellers encounter the campaign across station screens, concourses and onboard infotainment systems, making it hard to miss.
What sets the initiative apart is its narrative approach. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga, with digital content explaining the significance and stories behind each day. The result is a campaign that does more than advertise, it informs and engages passengers in the middle of their journeys.
For director of sales and marketing Tanuj Gupta, the idea was to go beyond visibility. He noted that while Navratri is widely celebrated, awareness of its deeper meaning is often limited, and the campaign aims to bridge that gap in a simple and accessible way.
By tapping into high-traffic transit spaces, Thermocool is placing its message where audiences naturally gather, from busy platforms to train compartments. The repeated exposure across these touchpoints is designed to build familiarity while creating a more meaningful connection with consumers.
In a season marked by devotion and festivity, the campaign finds a clever middle ground. It turns everyday travel into a cultural moment, where storytelling travels alongside the passenger.
