GECs
Zindagi and Applause Entertainment premiere ‘The Pink Shirt’ at SXSW Sydney
Mumbai: Yesterday at SXSW Sydney, renowned South Asian content studios Applause Entertainment and Zee’s Zindagi premiered their latest collaboration, The Pink Shirt. The 8-episode web series, starring Pakistani superstars Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali, marked Applause Entertainment and Zindagi’s second project together and was received extremely well by Australian audiences! The series had its world premiere at Sydney’s Palace Central Cinema as part of the festival’s screen lineup and was the only South Asian Web Series selected this year. The iconic film and culture festival left its home in Austin, United States for the first time for Sydney, bringing global stars and music legends to Sydney this week.
A collection of Sydney’s media and social influencers gathered to view the first two episodes of the series, which was followed by a robust Q&A with director Kashif Nisar, writer Bee Gul, and producer Shailja Kejriwal – where great ideas were exchanged about this groundbreaking collaboration between India and Pakistan and hopes for the future.
Chief Creative Officer (Special Projects) Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Shailja Kejriwal said, “We’re bringing lots of exciting content from Pakistan and bringing them into Indian homes, which I think has made a lot of difference in terms of how our neighbours are perceived by people in my country. Now we are meeting up with directors and writers, and the fact that we’re sitting here is a testament to that. Going forward we really hope for a day when we can shoot in each other’s countries. When we did Zeefinity there were six top directors from India and some of the top directors from Pakistan as well and the wish that they wanted to project, was that the borders should open and let the art flow seamlessly.”
Pakistani screenwriter BeeGul said, “Television is a very important medium in my part of the world at least we do not have very established cinemas all we can watch in the world of entertainment is television. Almost 60 per cent of the world has television sets and we always knew that television was a very powerful medium in Pakistan. That was the only medium through which we could communicate with our audience and people. As a child when I was growing up, I watched a lot of television series and they definitely influenced my work and actually inspired me to write for the screen I would say!”
The recently announced strategic partnership between the two renowned content studios Applause Entertainment and Zee’s Zindagi, promises to be a remarkable addition to the world of global entertainment as they prepare to head off to more film festivals around the globe in the coming year.
The Pink Shirt is a riveting take on modern-day relationships, their love, challenges, and struggles in a raw & real way. The drama revolves around the journey of Sophia cast as Sajal Aly and Umer as Wahaj Ali being stuck in a toxic relationship with their respective partners Sameer and Sara and how they then discover an alluring intensity and embark on a transformative journey towards love that mends them as people.
When talking about the leading actor Sajal Aly, Director Kashif Nisar said, ” Sajal owned this project like anything she does. The ownership of Sajal in this role was amazing – and believe you, me I directed her readiness… she was so much into the skin of this character. “
Presented by Applause Entertainment, a Zindagi original ‘The Pink Shirt’ an 8-part web series, is a South Asian collaboration between India and Pakistan. Directed by Kashif Nisar & written by Bee Gul, starring Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali, the series highlights a riveting take on modern-day relationships, their love, challenges, and struggles. Narrated in a raw & real way The Pink Shirt is a simple & confusing, tragic yet funny tale of broken and complex relationships.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
