Vijay Varma on Ok Computer: I have prepped the longest for this part

OK Computer press conference/picture courtesy: PR

If the 3 Laws of Robotics prevent any AI from harming a human being, then what made a self-driving car run over a man in the quaint streets of North Goa? Disney+ Hotstar VIP welcomes you to the year 2031 with Hotstar Specials OK Computer - India's first sci-fi comedy. A series that gives you a sneak peek into the near future that has arrived faster than anyone could imagine, in which there are no legal or moral precedents for crimes committed by A.I. Here, the question of who to blame persists.

As the case progresses, and cybercrime detective, Saajan Kundu, played by Vijay Varma, who has an unflappable prejudice against robots clashes with the feisty Laxmi (Radhika Apte) a tech-positive, empathetic, resourceful representative of 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Every Robot (PETER)' to solve this murder mystery, one can only expect the unimaginable to happen. With social commentary hidden between layers of comedy, a mockumentary style of narration, and visually striking imagery, OK Computer is nothing like any series you have seen before. The future is indeed Ajeeb.

Helmed by the makers of cult films such as Ship of Theseus and Tumbbad, OK Computer is an unconventional series written and produced by Anand Gandhi, Pooja Shetty, and Neil Pagedar. Starring Radhika Apte, Vijay Varma, and Jackie Shroff; this futuristic series will make you question if AI helps or hinders? The series explores themes inspired by current realities and is brimming with wry humour. OK Computer features bots like Maushi BOT, Welcome BOT amongst others which are designed specifically to cater to Indian sensibilities, and also the Shudh-Hindi that makes a grand come-back in the series. The series also features an imminent cast including Rasika Dugal, Vibha Chibber, Sarang Sathaye, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, Kani Kusruti among others.

Director Pooja Shetty said, "By the time we finished research and writing, OK Computer began to resemble a whimsical Ph.D. thesis. We wanted to create a plausible, authentic, and accessible future world that also extrapolated the absurdities, joys, and difficulties of present-day India. Maushi Bot and Ajeeb were born out of deliberation on this very idea. Ajeeb in particular generated the greatest awe in the writers' room because - as a sentient messiah robot accused of murder - its character aptly encapsulated the shifting sands of worship and suspicion. The pursuit of a sentient intelligent entity is the pursuit of crafting something in our own image. As we move to make machines more realistic, and more human in their interactions, we have to now ask ourselves, is our species ready for competition?"

Actor Vijay Varma added, "My roles have always been very intense, I was very eager to pick up something more in the space of comedy. When the script for OK Computer was offered to me, it seemed like it was programmed for me. The research that has been put into this show is outstanding and I couldn't let go of the opportunity to play the role of Saajan, the anti-technology police officer but it's quite the opposite in reality as I am usually the one who is enamored by advancements and technology. Saajan is carelessly funny and that's what I love the most about him. I have prepped the longest for this part and made several discoveries and I hope audiences love the character just as I do."

Speaking about the show, OK Computer revolves around a coastal town in North Goa, when a self-driving taxi crashes into a human pedestrian, killing him instantaneously. While the law scrambles to ascertain culpability, cyber cell agent Saajan Kundu (Vijay Varma) discovers that this was no accident, it was a premeditated murder. What follows further in the 6-episode series is worth the watch.