Netflix unveils ambitious, high-profile originals slate out of India

Meet The Patels director Ravi Patel and Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment are behind a slate of new Netflix originals out of India.

The streaming giant has ordered Messy from creator Patel, following an aspiring stand-up comic struggling to balance family life with comedy.

The show, in which Patel also stars, is co-written with Neel Shah. Co-producers include David Bernad and Ruben Fleischer’s The District and Seher Aly Latif and Shivani Saran’s Mutant Films.

Elsewhere, Netflix has also ordered zombie drama Betaal, which follows the Indian police battling a 200-year-old British-Indian army officer and his zombie army, from Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment.

Patrick Graham is to direct the drama, with Nikhil Mahajan also directing. Suhani Kanwar is co-writer. Blumhouse and Ivanhoe Pictures will also exec produce.

The commission marks the second project from Red Chillies following Bard Of Blood (pictured).

The remaining trio of projects include Bombay Begums, Mai and Masaba Masaba.

Bombay Begums is created, written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, the writer-director behind episodes of Amazon Prime Video original Made In Heaven, and follows the friendships between five women living in an urban Indian city.

The drama is exec produced by Chernin Entertainment and EndemolShine India.

Meanwhile, Mai follows a 40-something wife and mother whose life spirals after a personal tragedy pulls her into the world of politics.

Anushka Sharma and Karnesh Sharma’s Clean Slate Films are executive producers, while co-writers include Atul Mongia, Tamal Sen and Amita Vyas. Sudip Sharma will serve as creative producer.

Finally, Masaba Masaba is based on the lives of fashion designer Masaba Gupta and her actress mother Neena Gupta, who will both play themselves in the drama.

The series is created and produced by Ashvini Yardi’s Viniyard Films. Sonam Nair is to direct.