Confessions of Mumbai newbies

In the role-play world, most actors step out of their characters' skin once the make-up comes off. However, this isn't the case with three debutantes who play the leads in Confessions, It's Complicated, touted as India's first interactive web series. With their real identities concealed until the end of the 40-episode series, which premieres next week, the actresses will don the garb of their characters - Sameera, Raka and Nupur - and interact with audiences beyond screen time. "The audience will get to interact with these girls on social media platforms and in real time too. We will also create opportunities for live interactions with the audience through the show. The identities of the actors will be protected till the end of the series," says Vidyuth Bhandary, business head of Fremantle Media. The show marks the production house's maiden venture into web series.

(Above and bottom) Stills from the web series, Confessions, It's Complicated, which tracks the journey of three girls who are new to Mumbai

Casting challenge
Dubbed as an ‘aspirational dramedy', the series features three women in their 20s, from different parts of India, who live and work together in Mumbai. It tracks their struggles and journey. "We are talking about real confessions that every one will relate to. Casting was a challenge, as the characters were sketched in great detail," adds Bhandary. With a girl-next-door feel, the relatable characters will make it easier for the actresses to live them out for the next two months. The actress who plays Nupur, a 22-year-old simpleton from Coimbatore, says, "At least one of the characters will remind you of someone you know. We looked at it as an experiment and a challenge. Once the show goes online, we will be pretty kicked to live out our characters and interact with those watching the show."

Going live
In a first, Facebook has associated with the show creatively to air it on Facebook Live, an independent streaming and interaction tool recently launched by the social media platform. This will enable the live audience interactions. "The technology can be used in real time on the mobile phones and will help engage a wider audience. Each episode will be aired exclusively for four hours on this platform and will be then available to watch on YouTube," informs Bhandary.

The series will air thrice a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) with a special episode on Saturday. While Leslie Lewis has composed the music, Anushka Manchanda has sung the title track.