Producer Vikram Malhotra on how he wooed the actor Akshay Kumar to make digital debut with The End
Akshay Kumar and Aarav Bhatia
It can't be easy to convince a superstar - one who has a busy slate with as many as four films a year - to jump on the digital bandwagon. But Vikram Malhotra, founder and CEO, Abundantia Entertainment, says Akshay Kumar's relentless search for "novelty" made him greenlight the Amazon Prime original, The End.
"Akshay's decision to make his web debut didn't stem from one conversation; we were having the discussion for over a year. He seeks novelty in everything he does - from 2.0 (2018) to PadMan (2018). We were constantly talking about the possibility of him doing a digital show. He also watched Breathe and was constantly in touch with me. Finally, when this concept came our way, he lapped it up instantly," says Malhotra.
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He is quick to add that the biggest endorsement came from an unlikely quarter. "Aarav [Kumar's son] was a big push for him."
While the studio's previous web offerings have struck gold, The End is rumoured to be mounted on an ambitious scale. Quiz Malhotra on this, and he says the actioner is an effort to "take an Indian story to a global level". "After producing Breathe 2 that features Abhishek Bachchan and Nithya Menen, we were at a juncture where we had to extend the ambition to create a show that is uniquely Indian in its storytelling and world class in its appeal. Not only does Akshay have the foresight to understand the potential of the medium, but he is also the best in the action-adventure zone. No one else even crossed our mind. It's a multi-season commitment that will require three to four years."
Written by Saiwyn Quadras and Karan Grover, the series is expected to go on floors by early 2020.
Also Read: Akshay Kumar: After Kesari, I hope this chapter is added to history books
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