Crypto and the city

BENGALURU: Cryptocurrency seems to be the buzzword these days. So much so that filmmaker Sajit Warrier has just released a new Hindi web series that features this in its plot line. Chakravyuh stars Prateik Babbar and Simran Kaur Mundi in the lead roles and according to Warrier, subjects related to the digital world and other technical subjects are alien to the mass audience.

“The story is set around the world of cryptocurrency and a lot of research went into it. Prateik Babbar had to play an police officer who has to figure out his way into the cyber world,” says Warrier, who was also the creative producer of Total Dhamaal starring Ajay Devgn. 

The series was released on March 12 and is streaming on MX Player. Interestingly, Warrier also has plans of including a connection to namma ooru in the story, in order to establish a link between the digital world and the IT capital of India. “Although we had plans to have a Bengaluru background, we stuck to Mumbai. But we are working on the script for the upcoming season of Chakravyuh, which might have a Bengaluru connect to it,” says the director, who is planning to make a visit to the city in April or May. 

The director is a fine arts student from Baroda  who went on to work with film and tv studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles; Dubai and Mumbai. He specialises in creating original OTT series. “I am a fan of crime, cyber crime and dark stories. I make sure that the narrative syncs well with the youth as there are a lot of them who engage actively on social media,” says the 40-year-old. Speaking about the advantage of OTT platforms, the filmmaker believes that the format allows directors to be more flexible.

“The OTT platform gives me a chance to experiment with different genres. A similar story releasing in a theatre would not cause much impact. The story becomes more personal while watching on an OTT platform,” says Warrier, who also believes that the audience can zero in well and grasp the value of other supporting characters in a web series. “Simran is a big star in Punjab and her character in this story would just be in passing if it were in theatres. However, a web series allows a character to settle in even after three or four episodes.” 

Although the filmmaker was born in Kolkata and works in Mumbai, he is all praises for Bengaluru. “My brother is working as an IT professional in Bengaluru and my parents are staying there as well. The city is the best place to relax or party. During my previous visits here, I went for long drives to Mysuru and Puducherry, among other places.”