Emraan Hashmi to star in Karan Johar’s show about nepotism

Emraan Hashmi who is currently reveling in the success of his recent film "Tiger 3", is gearing up for an exciting collaboration with Karan Johar on an upcoming OTT show slated to stream on Disney+ Hotstar. The show, tentatively titled "Showtime" promises to delve into the theme of nepotism in the entertainment industry.

In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Emraan shared insights into the project, disclosing that he wrapped up filming the show a few months ago. Anticipated to hit the streaming platform sometime next year, "Showtime" is poised to offer viewers a glimpse into the glamorous and high-stakes world of showbiz.

In 2022, Karan announced that his production house would embark on the creation of a show centered around the movie industry. The show's synopsis read, "Bollywood, the realm of dreams envisioned with eyes wide open. 'Showtime', a dramatic series, unveils the behind-the-scenes struggles for control over the spotlight. Offering a profound, unfiltered, and unrestrained perspective, it takes an honest look at the battle lines drawn and crossed to keep the cameras rolling and the audience applauding. In a world where only one emperor claims the throne, what's a throne without a fierce struggle to attain it? Lights, camera, and action!"

According to reliable sources, Emraan is set to portray a business tycoon deeply entrenched in the entertainment industry of the upcoming show. The series boasts an extensive ensemble cast, featuring diverse actors who will embody various characters associated with the film and television business.

The production is under the banner of Karan Johar's digital venture, Dharmatic Entertainment, renowned for crafting compelling web-series and films like "Guilty", "Ajeeb Daastaans" and "Meenakshi Sundareshwar" for Netflix. Sumit Roy, the acclaimed writer behind the film "Gehraiyaan" starring Deepika Padukone, Ananya Panday, and Siddhant Chaturvedi, penned the script for the show.

Discussing the show's content, Karan previously expressed his enthusiasm, stating to HT, "I am thrilled about our collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar, as revealed at the prestigious D23 Expo. Alongside the upcoming season of my much-loved show, 'Koffee With Karan', I'm delighted to introduce a brand-new Dharma Production series, 'Showtime'. This series aims to unveil the closely guarded trade secrets of India's entertainment industry."

Emraan and Karan's professional collaboration is not a novelty. The duo had previously joined forces for the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam comedy "Driving License" titled "Selfiee", co-starring Akshay Kumar. Unfortunately, the Raj Mehta directorial film struggled to make a mark at the box office.

Emraan's maiden venture into the realm of OTT was with "Bard of Blood" in 2019, an adaptation of a book – produced by Shah Rukh Khan's production house. The first season left viewers on the edge with a significant cliffhanger and the second season is yet to kick off.

Responding to the whole issue, Emraan shared, "Many inquire why a second season of the show isn't in the works. The reality is, the series was based on the book, and we faced challenges in devising a compelling narrative for a potential second season."

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In addition, Emraan Hashmi is actively engaged in another OTT project, a film titled "Ground Zero", produced by Excel Entertainment. The actor is set to feature in this military thriller directed by Tejas Vijay Deoskar, recognised for his work in Marathi films like "Ajinkya" and "Bucket List".