The money, the business, the glamour, the relationships, the lifestyle, the inside scoop on all of Bollywood’s best-kept secrets, Showtime is releasing exclusively on 8th March on Disney+ Hotstar. Showtime is helmed by Emraan Hashmi, Mahima Makwana with Mouni Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Shriya Saran, Vishal Vashishtha, Neeraj Madhav, Vijay Raaz and Naseeruddin Shah in pivotal roles. Created by Sumit Roy, Showrunner and directed by Mihir Desai and Directed by Archit Kumar, the screenplay is by Sumit Roy, Mithun Gangopadhyay and Lara Chandni while the dialogues are written by Jehan Handa and Karan Shrikant Sharma.
Gaurav Banerjee, Head – Content, Disney+ Hotstar HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star said, “Delighted to collaborate once more with Dharmatic Entertainment and Karan Johar for a show that represents everything that’s quintessentially Bollywood. What’s more, the ensemble cast have come together beautifully to give life to what we can confidently say is here to entertain Bollywood fans with a no holds barred behind the curtains drama that is explosive and entertaining”
Karan Johar, Founder and Managing Director, of Dharmatic Entertainment said, “Showtime is a show that showcases so many different shades of the industry. While there’s showbiz, glitz, glamour, and drama it also touches upon the unspoken emotional rollercoaster that people go through behind the sets. The show is an attempt to bring audiences closer to the lives of people in the industry and to show what goes behind the making of a show/movie. It has a little bit of everything and there’s no better place than
Disney+ Hotstar to tell such a story.”
Apoorva Mehta, CEO Dharma Productions & Dharmatic said, “At Dharmatic, we are always eager to tell stories that excite and intrigue the audiences, nudging them to think. Showtime is our first fictional series association with Disney+ Hotstar and there isn’t a better story than this to tell. The series will delve into the underbelly of Bollywood, shedding light on the studio wars, power struggles and all that conspires behind the scenes, the making of films and more. We hope that audiences enjoy the show as
much as we did while making it.”
Showrunner and Director Mihir Desai said, “Forget the velvet ropes and red carpets; Showtime rips back the curtain on the Bollywood you dont often see. It;s a drama dripping with grit, glamour, and gossip that fuels the industry. This is the backstage world, where dreams are chased, deals are cut, and egos clash – all with a healthy dose of humour. And what a pleasure it was to work with Emraan Hashmi! Lets face it, the mans on a roll – we call it the Emraan-aissance! He leads a stellarcast, backed by the production powerhouse Dhamratic Entertainment and Sumit Roys insider knowledge. This is my second collaboration with Disney+Hotstar and I hope it’s a fun watch for their wide range of subscribers.”
Creator Sumit Roy said, “Having been in the industry for years, we wanted to tell a story like Showtime that spills the tea about what goes on behind the scenes in Bollywood – gives you the masala behind our masala movies. The show is an insider account of the glitter, glamour, ego battles and power struggles in the world of showbiz. We wanted the sets to reflect the grandness of Bollywood and give audiences a larger than life experience. Every character will feel recognisable and has traits that are based on actual
stars and filmmakers, many of the plot lines are culled from real-life industry stories – viewers can enjoyplaying guessing games to figure out who or what were referring to. The series doest pull any punches, reveals many industry secrets and even explores the darker underbelly of the fraternity – showing you all that glitters in Bollywood isnt gold. We hope viewers enjoy watching it!”
Emraan Hashmi added, “Having worked in the industry for over two decades, I have not come across a script like Showtime. To play the character of Raghu Khanna, who is always at the top of his game, was indeed challenging and creatively enriching. Showtime is a story that resonated with me at various levels. I have struggled my way up in the industry so I do understand the insider-outsider debate that is popular in this fraternity. At the same time, the Industry has space for everyone passionate and hardworking. Showtime will expose many realities of Bollywood but again, who thought that I would be a part of a series as privileged heir to a legacy what is more interesting than the fact that Karan Johar himself is making a show on nepotism with outsiders? I enjoyed collaborating with Disney+ Hotstar, Dharmatic Entertainment, Directors Mihir and Archit and hope audiences enjoy the world of Showtime.”