His Storyy (web series)

Last updated
His Storyy
His Story (web series).jpg
Genre
  • Drama
  • Romantic
Written by
  • Suparn Verma
  • Ritu Bhatia
Directed byPrashant Bhagia
Starring
Country of originIndia
Original languageHindi
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes11 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers
  • Ekta Kapoor
  • Shobha Kapoor
  • Tanveer Bookwala
Production locationIndia
CinematographySrinivas Achary
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time24 minutes
Production companyDing Entertainment
Distributor ZEE5, ALTBalaji
Release
Original network ZEE5, ALTBalaji
Picture format HDTV, 1080i
Audio format Dolby Digital
Original release25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)

His Storyy (alternatively titled His Story) is an Indian, Hindi-language romantic drama web series directed by Prashant Bhagia. It is an ALTBalaji and ZEE5 original, released on 25 April 2021. It stars Satyadeep Mishra, Priyamani Raj, and Mrinal Dutt in the lead roles. The series was produced by Tanveer Bookwala and Ding Entertainment, and was written by Suparn Verma and Ritu Bhatia. [1] [2] The series revolves around the life of Sakshi, Kunal and his lover Preet and the social issue of acceptance of homosexuals by the society and family.

Contents

Plot

Sakshi and Kunal are a South-Bombay power couple who are running a business together. Sakshi is the head chef and Kunal takes care of the business end of the restaurant. They have two children, Shlok and Shivaay. Things fall apart for Sakshi when she realizes that her 20 years of familial and marital bliss was nothing but a pack of lies. Kunal has an extra-marital affair with a man called Preet and this destroys Sakshi. The couple decide to separate and end the marriage. Kunal moves in with Preet; but the family, especially his eldest son Shivaay, doesn't take this very well. He is homophobic and abuses his father as well his friend Ved, who is discovering his sexuality in his adolescence. Shlok and Sakshi accept the truth and decide to move on. But due to various events that occur, the story does not have a happy ending. [3]

Cast

The prime cast of the show is: [4] [5]

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Marriage is a Racket"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Sakshi and Kunal are hosting the launch party of their third hotel "Saffron" and all their friends have gathered for the big day. Preet, a food connoisseur and critic, is the chief guest of the event, who has been invited by Sakshi. The launch night becomes dramatic when Sonakshi questions Sheena about having an affair with her husband Rahul. But Preet’s presence is a bigger problem for Kunal.
22"Yeh Dil, Kyun Na Keh Saka"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Jhanvi's sex tape goes viral and her school suspends her, while her mother Rafia supports her. The girl gang is discussing the nuances of marriage at the gym. Sakshi realizes that she needs to bring back the lost spice in her marriage with Kunal. She cancels the work plans and goes home, only to find the home empty. She goes looking for him and comes very close to finding his dark secrets.
33"Hidden Dreams"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Sakshi is embarrassed with her gaff at Preet’s house and decides to host a game night for her friends, and also invites Preet. Sakshi and Preet bond over a discussion about their respective partners, unaware of the reality. Rafia sees something that might put Kunal and Sakshi’s relationship in jeopardy.
44"It All Comes Crumbling Down"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Families gather for a pool party and Jhanvi confronts Shivaay on his homophobia. Saskhi calls him out on the same when they are coming back home. It’s ladies night at Saffron hotel. Jhanvi organizes open mic where Ved and Jhanvi give stellar performances. Sakshi happens to step out and follow Kunal to find something that would shake her to the core.
55"History"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Kids have a big blow out at school and the parents are called in as Ved has hit ball on Shivaay's face during cricket practice match. Sakshi is in denial about what she saw the previous night, but still meets Preet for a conversation. Preet realizes that Sakshi knows the hidden secret. The bigger conversation happens when she goes home to confront Kunal and he confesses.
66"Pretense and Lies"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Sakshi starts coming to terms with Kunal’s reality. Nihal and Loveleen celebrate their 20th anniversary in grandeur. Kunal and Sakshi raise toasts to their marriage; but Sakshi announces her big decision of separating from Kunal.
77"Of Rumors and Endings"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Sakshi meets Preet and they have a heated argument which Nihal oversees. Shivay and Ved have another tussle where Shivay abuses and claims Ved to be gay. The school calls in their parents again. Nihal is close to living his nightmares after suspecting his son Ved to be gay. Preet and Kunal take a step forward out of no choice. Nihal assumes and tells everyone about Sakshi’s new relationship.
88"Out of the Closet"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Sakshi confronts Nihal while she is angry. Loveleen apologizes on his behalf. Kunal confronts Nihal on being a bigot and storms off. Nihal finds out the truth about Kunal and Preet as he follows Kunal. Shivay finds the truth before Sakshi could explain both the kids.
99"Love is Love"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Shivay is frustrated with his father’s secret and acts aggressively at a football match for which he is thrown out of the school team. He then runs away from home, while Ved has to deal with his father’s pressure of "being a man". Kunal reaches out to his son but nothing works out. It's only when Shlok steps in, entire family and Sakshi are able to reconcile with the fact of Kunal's identity.
1010"A New Beginning"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Finally, free from her marriage Sakshi, has a girl’s night to move on and meets a possible date. Rafia organizes a party with their entire circle so Kunal could get a glimpse of his whole family. Kunal and Shivaay bond again in the party and Kunal feels happy about it for getting his son's acceptance. This lovely evening is ruined by people with lathis who came to teach Preet a lesson and injure him badly on the sstreets.
1111"Happily Never After"Prashant BhagiaSuparn Verma, Ritu Bhatia25 April 2021 (2021-04-25)
Kunal is heartbroken at the hospital seeing his love being hated upon. Preet and Sakshi try to hide the identity of the assaulter. Jhanvi teaches Shivay about consequences. Sakshi decides to throw a party to commemorate Kunal and Preet’s love. There is no happy ending in this story though.

Soundtrack

The series has an original soundtrack consisting of 5 songs. In their review of the series, Amar Ujala appreciated the work of music directors Kartik Shah, Abhiruchi Chand and Abhishek Arora for their original scores and of playback singer Sukanya Purkayasth for her rendering of song "Naina Kahe Bhar Aaye". [6]

No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Yeh Dil"Kartik ShahKartik ShahSavera Mehta 
2."Naina Kahe Bhar Aaye"Abhiruchi ChandAbhishek AroraSukanya Purkayasth 
3."Axele" Samar Jyoti BoramSamar Jyoti Boram 
4."Aasaan Se" Samar Jyoti BoramSamar Jyoti Boram 
5."Tu Jaisa Bhi Hai" Samar Jyoti BoramSamar Jyoti Boram 

Release and reception

On 9 April 2021, the promo video and poster of the series were released. However, the released poster that showed Mishra and Dutt spooning, was criticized for similarities with the poster of 2015 film Loev directed by Sudhanshu Saria. Saria, film director Vikramaditya Motwane and various others criticized AltBalaji over various social networking platforms. AltBalaji issued an apology on 11 April and pulled down the poster. [7]

The series was released on 25 April 2021 on the digital platforms of ALTBalaji and Zee5. It was reported by Bollywood Hungama that the end of the story, which would have shown the wedding of the lead gay characters, was changed by the creators given the prevailing social discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community in India. It also informed that second season of the series may or may not happen depending on the change in prejudiced atmosphere towards the community in the real society. [8] Various intimate scenes shot between Mishra and Dutt were also edited out by creators as self-censorship to avoid getting into troubles, except for few discreet kissing scenes. [9]

Subhash Jha from SpotboyE rates this web series at 3/5. In his own words, "No matter how you look at it His Storyy is a game-changer for same-sex celluloid stories in India. It shows its layered characters, played with rock-star assurance by the cast that knows its job, making some tough choices in life and standing by them. For this alone His Storyy must be seen at your earliest." [10] The Times of India rates His Story at 3/5. "‘His Story’ is a decent attempt at starting a dialogue on eradicating homophobia that still—sadly—exists in our country. Honest performances make this LGBTQIA-centric drama a delightful watch." [11] Amar Ujala gives 2/5 and criticizes the series for being a typical Ekta Kapoor series and is unable to be part of the real world. The setting and the weak dialogues have been criticized which do not enable to the lead actors to perform up to their mark. Roles of supporting actors played by Charu Shankar, Rheanne Tejani and Mikhail Gandhi have been appreciated. [6]

Related Research Articles

Ramesh Sippy Indian film director

Ramesh Sippy is an Indian film director and producer, best known for directing the popular and critically acclaimed film Sholay. He is a winner of the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2013.

<i>Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii</i> Indian television series

Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii is the Indian Hindi-language television drama series created and produced by Ekta Kapoor under her banner Balaji Telefilms that aired on StarPlus from 2000 to 2008. The series stars Sakshi Tanwar and Kiran Karmarkar as protagonists.

Ekta Kapoor Indian producer and director (born 1975)

Ekta Kapoor born 7 June, 1975 in Mumbai, Maharashtra is an Indian television producer, film producer and director who works in Hindi cinema and soap opera. She is the joint managing director and creative head of Balaji Telefilms Limited, which was founded in 1994. In 2001, Balaji Motion Pictures was launched as a subsidiary company of Balaji Telefilms Limited which is a film production and distribution company. She launched ALT Balaji in April 2017.

<i>C Kkompany</i> 2008 film irected by Sachin Yardi

C Kkompany is a 2008 Bollywood comedy film directed by debutant Sachin Yardi, and produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor. The film stars Tusshar Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Raima Sen and Anupam Kher. It released on 29 August 2008 to negative reviews from critics, and was a failure at the box office.

<i>I Hate Luv Storys</i> 2010 film by Punit Malhotra

I Hate Luv Storys is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Punit Malhotra and produced under Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and Ronnie Screwvala's UTV Motion Pictures. It stars Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor in the lead roles. The film was released on 2 July 2010 and went on to become a box office hit. I Hate Luv Storys was partly filmed in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Siddharth Gupta Indian film actor

Siddharth Gupta is an Indian actor. He made his Bollywood debut with Ekta Kapoor's Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi directed by Aman Sachdeva.

ALTBalaji Subscription based video on demand platform

ALTBalaji is an Indian subscription based video on demand platform which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Balaji Telefilms Ltd. Launched on 16 April 2017, ALTBalaji is the group's foray into the digital entertainment sphere to create original OTT content. The platform has around 34 million paid users.

<i>Ragini MMS: Returns</i> Alt Balaji Erotic-Horror Series

Ragini MMS: Returns is an Indian found footage erotic horror web series produced under ALTBalaji. The series is the third installment of Ragini MMS Franchise.

Mushtaq Shiekh Indian screenwriter, author, producer and actor

Mushtaq Shiekh is an Indian screenwriter, author, producer and actor. He is mainly known for writing the screenplays of Ra.One, Om Shanti Om and Billu.

<i>Gandii Baat</i> Web series

Gandii Baat is a 2018 B Rating web series directed by Sachin Mohite for ALTBalaji, a series producer that is focus on developing web series for the indian market. It was also available on ZEE5 and the Anveshi Jain Official App But in March 2021 ZEE5 And MX Player Remove This Series Because Of the OTT Guidelines Which has Released Feb 2021. Each episode in the series features a separate erotic-themed story from rural India. Season 6 of the web series was premiered on 21 January 2021.

<i>Apharan</i> (web series) 2018 Hindi language web series

Apharan is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language action thriller web series directed and co-produced by Sidharth Sengupta for video on demand platform ALTBalaji. The series stars Arunoday Singh. The series is set in current times and revolves around kidnapping, suspense, mystery and never ending action.

<i>Booo Sabki Phategi</i> 2019 television series by Ekta Kapoor

Booo Sabki Phategi is a 2019 Hindi horror comedy web series created and produced by Ekta Kapoor for video on demand platform ALTBalaji. The series stars Birbal marks their debut on digital media. The series is available for streaming on the ALT Balaji App and its associated websites from 27 June.

<i>The Verdict – State vs Nanavati</i> Indian web series

The Verdict – State vs Nanavati is an 2019 Indian Hindi drama mystery web series created by Ekta Kapoor and produced by Irada Entertainment for online streaming platform ALT Balaji and ZEE5. It is also available on ZEE5. The series stars Manav Kaul, Elli AvrRam, Sumeet Vyas and Viraf Patel as protagonists.

<i>Pavitra Bhagya</i> Indian drama television series

Pavitra Bhagya is an Indian romantic drama television series produced by Ekta Kapoor under Balaji Telefilms. It aired from 2 March 2020 to 2 October 2020 on Colors TV and starred Aneri Vajani, Kunal Jaisingh, Vaishnavi Prajapati and Riva Arora.

<i>Crashh</i>

Crashh is an Indian Hindi-language original drama web series which is streaming on ALTBalaji and ZEE5. It stars Zain Imam, Rohan Mehra, Aditi Sharma, Kunj Anand and Anushka Sen. The web series released on 14 February 2021. It is written by Nikita Dhond, directed by Kushal Zaveri and co-directed by Preeti Gupta. Produced by Ekta Kapoor with production house as Balaji Telefilms.

Mrinal Dutt is an Indian actor predominantly seen in web shows and films. His first major role was aired in a one off finite series on television called Private Investigator (2014-15) where Dutt played the title role of the Private Investigator. Dutt has also worked in various web series like Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala (2019), Hello Mini (2019-21), Khwabon Ke Parindey and His Storyy (2021). Dutt has also headlined films like A moment (2017), 55 km/sec (2020), closure (2021), and The lonely prince (2020) which qualified for the BAFTA and academy.

<i>Pawan & Pooja</i> Indian drama web series

Pawan & Pooja is a relationship-drama web series which is directed by Ajay Bhuyan and Shaad Ali. The show features Deepti Naval, Mahesh Manjrekar, Gul Panag and Sharman Joshi. The series is available for streaming on MX Player and Season 1 was aired on 14 February 2020.

<i>Cartel</i> (web series) 2021 Hindi Web Series

Cartel is an Indian action-drama web series produced by Ekta Kapoor under the banner of Balaji Telefilms. It stars Supriya Pathak, Rithvik Dhanjani, Jitendra Joshi, Tanuj Virwani and Divya Agarwal. It was released on 20 August 2021.

Gurpreet Bedi Indian actress

Gurpreet Bedi is an Indian actress. She was in the top 10 finalists in Pantaloons Femina Miss India and was crowned the Himalayan Femina Miss Natural Beauty. She is best known for her character 'Reeva' in Sony Television's Dil Hi Toh Hai.

References

  1. "His Story review: Satyadeep Misra, Priyamani Raj's series approaches love and sexuality with sensitivity". Firstpost. 2021-04-26. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  2. Keshri, Shweta. "Satyadeep Misra, Mrinal Dutt play gay couple in His Storyy, series premieres on April 25". India Today. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  3. "His Storyy Web Review: Honest intentions, sensitive writing drive this story". Mid Day. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  4. "Priyamani on controversies around His Storyy, The Family Man: Our job as an actor is to bring characters to life". The Indian Express. 2021-04-26. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  5. His Story Web Series: Review, Trailer, Star Cast, Songs, Actress Name, Actor Name, Posters, News & Videos , retrieved 2021-04-27
  6. 1 2 Shukl, Pankaj (28 April 2021). "His Story Review: 'अजीब दास्तान्स' सी एक और कहानी, एकता की दुनिया से निकलती तो होती कमाल की सीरीज". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. Sharma, Priyanaka (12 April 2021). "ALTBalaji apologises, removes controversial His Storyy poster after Vikramaditya Motwane's scathing post". Indian Express. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  8. Jha, Subhash (30 April 2021). "Same-sex marriage called off in Ekta Kapoor's series His Storry". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  9. Jha, Subhash (27 April 2021). "Ekta Kapoor voluntarily edits out intimacy in same-sex series His Storyy". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  10. "His Storyy Review: Satyadeep Mishra, Priyamani, Mrinal Dutt's Web Series Is About Three Brilliant Actors And One Broken Marriage". www.spotboye.com. Retrieved 2021-04-27.
  11. "His Story Season 1 Review: Honest performances make this LGBTQIA-centric drama a delightful watch". Times of India. Retrieved 2021-04-27.