Theatre veteran and film writer Akarsh Khurana talks about Tripling, his first web series that's taking over the net
A still from Tripling that Akarsh co-wrote with Sumeet Vyas
A still from Tripling that Akarsh co-wrote with Sumeet Vyas
It's the last week of September and the rains show no signs of calming down. But at 7 am, Akarsh Khurana is up and about, headed for a shoot. The fast and furious format of writing a web series leaves him with little time to spare. We catch up with him over the phone as he makes his way to the shoot of his second web series, which he has started working on after the success of Tripling, which he co-wrote with Sumeet Vyas.
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"The Internet has taken over, so one needs to align oneself to the format. We needed writing that connects with people. I didn't find it too difficult to get into the space. Even in theatre, we have been doing a lot of urban plays in English that connect with the young audience. And of course, the TVF guys, who have championed the genre, were always there to help. I get calls from Mumbai and Seattle the same day an episode is aired. That's the kind of reach a web series has," says the Akvarious Productions' frontrunner.
Tripling tells the story of three eccentric siblings on a road trip. It was web series poster boy Vyas who got Akarsh on board. "Since he was also going to act in it, he needed someone to write it with. Sumeet and I go back a long way, we have done a lot of theatre together. Also, what made writing this show particularly interesting is that, we also know each other's siblings. I know his sister Shruti very well as he knows my brother, Aadhar. So a lot of life came into play while fleshing out the three protagonists," Akarsh says.
After Tripling's success, writer Akarsh Khurana is already onto his second web series. Pic/Nimesh Dave
The format might not allow the luxury of an expansive narrative, but at the end of the day, it's about telling a story, Akarsh says. "The limitation of time is something that Sumeet and I imposed on ourselves. We didn't want to go beyond the 15-20 minute space, because you know, attention spans aren't getting any longer."
He adds, "But yes, in keeping with the format, we had to make the episodes tight and leave each one with a hook." They also had to work around brand mechanics. "On a creative level, we don't get involved with that much. Given the story is about a roadtrip, it was safe to assume that there would be some car brand coming into play. As long as it was not an SUV, it was fine by us, since our protagonist Chanchal is not an SUV guy."
The web series is only a short detour and soon Akarsh will be returning to his comfort zone — theatre. "It's my happy place; I will never let go of theatre. This year we have two plays coming up — one at the Prithvi festival and another, a Hindi play in November, starring Kumud Mishra," he says. He adds, "If you notice, Tripling is full of theatre artists. Theatre is a breeding ground for talent."
Ask him if his father Akash Khurana has watched the show, and he replies, "He and my mum watch it more religiously than I do. I have had elderly people telling me how they watch the show with their friends. It's a welcome break from what they watch on TV, the way we show relationships is how they are in real urban life. Four-letter words as part of the daily lingo is a reality. It also helps them understand the younger generation better."
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