Creator & Director, Atul Mongia shares how far one mother will go to uncover the truth, as the series, ‘Mai’ releases on April 15.
A middle-class wife, mother, and volunteer nurse witnesses a first-hand tragedy that forever changes her world. In an instant, she finds herself sucked into a rabbit hole of violence, crime, and power. Sakshi Tanwar is Mai, as she dons a new avatar (Sheel), who is determined to uncover the truth about the death of her daughter, Supriya. ‘Mai’ is a layered, crime drama and thriller series produced by Karnesh Ssharma of Clean Slate Filmz and directed by Anshai Lal & Atul Mongia.
With Sakshi Tanwar at the helm, Mai hosts an exciting ensemble including actors, Vivek Mushran, Wamiqa Gabbi, Anant Vidhaat, Raima Sen, Ankur Ratan, Prashant Narayan, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, and Seema Pahwa. The series marks the directorial debut for Mai creator, writer, and showrunner, Atul Mongia. With the launch of the trailer, Atul opens up below how his real-life experiences enabled him to create and write ‘Mai’.
“Since childhood, my mother has woken up before the break of dawn and toiled till she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. While dabbling in multiple side-careers, she has lived her entire life for her family, a feature not uncommon to Indian mothers. Just like my mother, despite the many ups and downs in life, Mai too retains her sanctity by shunning the world outside of her family. But, what if her existence were to cross paths with an extremely dire and appalling circumstance?!
At the heart of the series is the Chaudhary family of 2 brothers who live in adjacent houses in the same colony, with their spouses and kids. Sheel, our protagonist, is the wife of the younger brother. She lives and breathes for her immediate and extended family, making sure the entire house runs like a well-oiled machine, However, through a bizarre twist of fate and choice, Sheel is thrown deep into the world of crime. The series becomes unusually dramatic, yet extremely relatable, because at least at the outset, she still remains, the same humble, simple mother. Just like my mother. And possibly yours as well! The protagonist of Mai has the maiden name of my own mother, to never forget who “Sheel Chaudhary” really is. Mai, takes the concept of the homely, caring, traditional Indian mother of popular Indian Television and Hindi cinema and pits it against the true existence of the Machiavellian world out there, forcing her and us to challenge our belief systems.”
Talking about the series, Karnesh Ssharma, Producer said, “We are excited to bring this story to the world through Netflix, who’s been a wonderful partner to us with Bulbbul and now, with Mai. Mai tells a gripping yet emotional story of a strong mother’s journey. Sheel is a multifaceted character, who fights to overcome everything and everyone in her way to avenge her daughter, all while holding on to her vulnerability, which enables audiences to relate and connect to her in a more meaningful way. The viewers are going to witness a very layered narrative that is full of twists and turns, showcasing how far a mother will go for love and in search of the truth.”
Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India, “Mai is a signature Netflix series that brings together defining storytelling, nuanced performances, and a deeply thought-provoking journey of a mother’s run-ins with crime and criminals. Set in an intriguing world, Mai brings together everything our audiences love and enjoy. A compelling and sensitively handled storyline created by Atul Mongia, a gritty thriller-esque crime drama produced by Clean Slate Filmz and one of the most powerful performances that one has ever seen from Sakshi Tanwar who headlines Mai.”
Mai will launch on April 15, 2022, exclusively on Netflix!
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