OTT: Director Ruchi Narain comments on Raveena Tandon's 'Karmma Calling'
Disney+ Hotstar, the home to Hollywood-to-Indian adaptations such as The Night Manager and Criminal Justice, has adapted yet another show, Karmma Calling, based on the long-running ABC series, Revenge. Headlined by Raveena Tandon and Varun Sood, the revenge-based drama series will premiere on the streamer from January 26 onwards. It has been directed by Ruchi Narain, known for writing Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and directing Guilty. In a new conversation with Deadline, Narain spoke about the challenges of adapting the show.
On casting Tandon in the lead role
"Revenge was possibly one of the first shows to get Madeline Stove, a [huge] film star. We took a cue from that. Raveena Tandon has been a very big Bollywood star." "She's iconic, still looks like a million bucks, and is a powerhouse actor who has so much to sink her teeth into and showcase her charms—sway more than she could in the '90s. The roles in the '90s for women were not that layered," she said.
Challenges she faced during 'Karmma Calling's production
The opulence of Karmma Calling's production overwhelmed Narain. "As filmmakers, we are used to being exhausted and on our feet for 16 or 18 hours a day, going after the shot we want. But I've never had to do so many retakes for hair, makeup, and eyelashes out of place." "The glamor is such an important part of the setting of this world. If not, the believability begins to wither," she added.
Making the show more 'Indianized'
Adapting Revenge for an Indian audience while maintaining its core essence was a challenge for Narain. The original series starred Emily VanCamp as Emily Thorne and Stowe as Victoria Grayson. In its Indian counterpart show, Namrata Sheth plays Karma Talwar (Emily's role) and Tandon portrays Indrani Kothari (Victoria's role). As for the setting, Narain has relocated it from the Hamptons to Alibaug near Mumbai, known for its farms and bungalows owned by the elite.
Changes made for the Indian adaptation
Throughout the adaptation process, Narain and R.A.T. Studios collaborated with Disney Television Studios, altering several elements to update them as per modern times (inclusion of smartphones and social media). The series was also shortened from 21 episodes in the US version to seven to better suit the OTT format. Narain said, "There was no pushback from [Disney] on those sorts of things," crediting it for being cooperative.
Tandon about her role
Speaking about the role, Tandon earlier said, "It is a never-seen-before and never-done-before role and I am looking forward to audience reactions. Collaborating with RAT Films and Ruchi Narain has been exceptional." The show also stars Vikramjeet Virk and Waluscha D'Souza. Karmma Calling marks Tandon's second OTT series after Aranyak (2021), which premiered on Netflix and ran for a single season.
