Ashutosh Gowariker, Mona Singh's Netflix show ‘Kaala Paani’ set for October 18 debut

Streaming service Netflix on Wednesday announced that Kaala Paani, a survival drama series that marks filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker’s return to acting, will premiere on its platform on October 18.

Set in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the series is described as a “a grounded story about the fight for survival and questions audiences on how far they would go to survive”, a press release stated.

The cast also includes Mona Singh, Amey Wagh, Sukant Goel, Arushi Sharma, Radhika Mehrotra, Vikas Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar and Poornima Indrajith.

Kaala Paani marks the second collaboration between Netflix and Posham Pa Pictures after the 2022 film Jaadugar.

The show comes from Sameer Saxena, who had directed Jaadugar. He serves as a showrunner and co-director on the project alongside Amit Golani. It is penned by Biswapati Sarkar, Golani, Sandeep Saket and Nimisha Misra.

Gowariker, who as an actor starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan in television series Circus as well as movies Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Chamatkar, said he is excited to be a part of the OTT project.

"Kaala Paani is a world of its own and I’m really excited to be a part of an intriguing Netflix project like this. Sameer, Amit and Biswapati have created a Series with a genre that will breathe new life into our audience's viewing experience".

"I am hoping that audiences will be just as intrigued as I was, and enjoy it as much as I did performing in it", Gowariker, the director of Lagaan, Swades and Jodhaa Akbar, said in a statement.

Kaala Paani marks the third series outing for Singh in 2023 after she featured in Made in Heaven season two and Kafas.

"Kaala Paani is a show that will immerse you in a world where every moment, decision, and heartbeat holds the key to survival in an unforgiving environment. Participating in a project that keeps you perpetually on the edge is an absolute rush", Singh said.

"With a groundbreaking plot supported by the creative minds of Sameer, Amit and the Netflix team, this show provided me with the opportunity to stretch my limits as an actor, resulting in an incredibly exhilarating journey", she added.