Rush Hour

Written as a feature film,Rush narrates the story of 12 young characters and how their lives are interlinked. “Every episode is a short story in itself,” says Nambiar. Set to go on air on July 7,the show deals with the issues that confront college students — from drug abuse and exploring sexuality to shifting to a big city from a small town. “I am not trying to preach,I am attempting to show what youth really is about. For instance,one episode is about young love but it’s not your typical teenybopper story that you see on TV. This,I think,is the USP of the show,” he says.

Mumbai’s theatre circuit has found space on the show,with most actors picked from the stage. “I have watched most of them on stage — Adir Bhatt,Faisal Qureshi and Natasha Sehgal,who has co-written the script of my second film David with me,and well-known playwright Pawan Uttam,” informs Nambiar. He is directing three episodes and has picked a mix of directors to work on the rest. “I was apprehensive about handing over the script to others. In hindsight,I am pleased. These are ad film and feature film directors who have added bits of themselves in the episodes,” he adds.

If music was one of the high points of Shaitan,Nambiar hopes to repeat the magic with Rush. Indie bands such as Bhayanak Maut (who gave music for Shaitan),Modern Mafia (who are giving music to David) and Shruti Hassan and Anirudh (of Kolaveri Di fame) have been roped in. Clearly,Nambiar hopes to give Indian television an extra edge.