The highly anticipated Amazon Prime Original Series 'Made in Heaven', by Tiger Baby and Excel Media & Entertainment, is set to release on March 8 2019. The show is narrated through the eyes of Tara and Karan, two Delhi-based wedding planners. Their stories unfold over the course of an opulent wedding season. As tradition jostles with modern aspirations against the backdrop of big fat Indian weddings, many secrets and myriad lies are revealed.
Created predominantly by women storytellers, Made in Heaven, brings a different perspective to the vibrant Indian wedding scene.
Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, 'Made In Heaven', is set to release on March 8, exclusively on Amazon Prime Video across 200 countries and territories. Speaking about the show, they said, “Creating 'Made in Heaven' has been a labor of love. Our objective with this project was to tell a story that was inherently entertaining but strong and deeply rooted in our society. Grand Indian weddings acted as just the right backdrop to examine the liberal fabric of educated, modern Indians and their dichotomous value systems that co-exist peacefully at times and at others come into conflict. The 9-episode series is the culmination of the creative vision of four directors – Nitya Mehra, Prashant Nair, Alankrita Srivastava and me (Zoya Akhtar), brought to life by Amazon Prime Video, who have been fabulous collaborators to work with.”
Made In Heaven brings to Indian customers a show with a fresh storyline, incredible talent and a layered narrative that will draw the viewer in.
Farhan Akhtar, Co-producer, Excel Media and Entertainment, said, “I am excited to see how customers respond to this awesome drama series created by Zoya and Reema. After the success we saw with Inside Edge and Mirzapur, we are sure this collaboration with Amazon Prime Video will showcase another bold story that consumers will really enjoy. With each episode we examine a topic of social relevance and Made in Heaven promises to be an entertaining, introspective and thought provoking show.” Ritesh Sidhwani, Excel Media & Entertainment, said, “We have had two mega-hits in collaboration with Amazon Prime Video. Inside Edge nominated at last year’s International Emmy Awards was a phenomenal success and 'Mirzapur' connected with customers not only in India but also globally. We believe our next show Made in Heaven will take our successful collaboration a step further. 'Made in Heaven' holds a mirror to society, bringing to light the tussle between tradition and modernity in India. The series will certainly make viewers reflect on the state of Indian society – a culture in transition.”
With Made in Heaven, we bring a deeply nuanced social commentary on upper class, liberal, Indian society and their uncomfortable relationship with the values they preach
Prime Original Series Made In Heaven chronicles the lives of Tara and Karan, two wedding planners in Delhi. These two headstrong individuals often mask their supreme vulnerability - sometimes even from each other, as their wedding planning agency “Made In Heaven” forces them to open up and reveal themselves. The show portrays today’s India as a potent blend where tradition jostles with modern aspiration, set against the theme of the ‘Big Fat Indian Wedding’. Indians believe marriages are made in heaven and it is against these sacred unions that Tara and Karan’s personal journeys are juxtaposed. With world class production values and a magnificent scale, the show provides the viewer with a grand cinematic experience of intricacies and the drama around upscale Indian weddings.
The show is set in 2017 where Karan is a gay man living in a country when homosexuality was still illegal. Out in the world but still in the closet for his typical middle class folks. Karan moves under the radar and doesn’t engage with the politics of being homosexual in India. He suppresses a deep pain from his teenage years and seems unable to deal with intimacy and therefore a meaningful relationship. Tara is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Through etiquette classes, borrowed clothes and a damaging “scandal”, she clawed her way up into the capital’s high society by marrying Adil Khanna. She now strives for perfection and security in a marriage that is less than ideal.
With each episode Karan and Tara enter the lives of a different bride and groom. Each wedding they service not only introduces them to the twisted dynamics and complexities of Indian families but also provides a mirror to their true selves. It exposes the bubble they live in and the rules they conform to. The supposedly liberal fabric of this educated modern society unravels as the duo navigate their way through forced arranged marriages, dowry transactions, virginity tests and astrological matches. It is through these experiences that Tara and Karan will change, grow and ultimately transform.
Sharing her views on the show, Jennifer Salke, Head, Amazon Studios said, “Made In Heaven is a show that meets our aim to pave the way for a new wave of storytelling, where cultural commentary and complex characters are presented to our customers. Created predominantly by women storytellers, 'Made in Heaven,' brings a different perspective to the vibrant Indian wedding scene. Global audiences have responded well to shows created in India and this is testament to the growing appetite for compelling, diverse content. It is our aim to be an all-inclusive service for every storyteller and every genre of story that is waiting to be told.”
Adding to this, Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video India said, "We endeavour to bring viewers’ local, immersive stories that are relatable – 'Made In Heaven' is a gripping drama series from the house of Tiger Baby Productions and our long time collaborators, Excel Media & Entertainment. Indian weddings are a heady mix of celebrations, drama and intrigue for customers everywhere and this show will offer just that by lifting the veil and looking closely at what transpires behind-the-scenes. We are ecstatic to work with Zoya, Reema and the team and are certain audiences will enjoy this voyeuristic view beneath the veneer of grand Indian weddings.”
The Head - Creative Development, Amazon Prime Video India Aparna Purohit said, “Prime Original Series Made in Heaven is our second series this year that brings a new lens to cinematic story-telling. We started the year with Four More Shots Please!, a story about urban Indian women, produced and directed by women. Made in Heaven reiterates our commitment of bringing varied, fresh voices and storytellers to our viewers. The series has been crafted by a dream team of some of the most respected female creators, directors and writers in the country.”
