Sameer Nair: We aren’t trying to copy, or be better

A still from Tanaav

In the past few months, producer Sameer Nair has often been asked why he chose to make Tanaav when its source material, the popular Israeli series Fauda, is available to stream in India. His reason is simple - he wanted to take an important story to a wider audience. "Often, people ask us, ‘What about those who have seen Fauda?' I tell them, ‘If you don't want to, don't watch Tanaav.' You don't have to see it, and then make comparisons. That's not the reason why we made it. In India, only the upper-class audience has watched international shows. Reimagination [allows us] to take it to a wider audience. We aren't trying to copy, or be better," begins Nair, whose Applause Entertainment has backed the political thriller starring Manav Vij, Arbaaz Khan, Rajat Kapoor and Ekta Kaul.

Fauda

The journey of Tanaav began three years ago when Nair's production house initiated a conversation with Yes Studios that backed Fauda. It was decided that Nair and his team would prepare a presentation about their vision to adapt Lior Riaz and Avi Issacharoff's story in the Indian setting. While the original explored the Israel-Palestine dispute, the SonyLIV offering focuses on the conflict between state-run Special Task Group (STG) and militants in Kashmir. "The beauty of formats is that a story can get a new life and identity," says Sharon Levi, managing director, Yes Studios. She adds that Fauda on Netflix India only serves as a promotional tool for Tanaav rather than competition.

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Sameer Nair

The makers of Tanaav had to not only tell a distinct story, but also address the volatile geo-politics of Kashmir accurately. Nair assures that they have been mindful. "Sudhir [Mishra, director] and I had numerous discussions about this. There's nothing to be offended about. We have made the show thoughtfully and sensitively," he states.