Directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Mozez Singh, Human releases on 14th January on Disney+ Hotstar and will be available in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Bengali.
Starring Shefali Shah, Kirti Kulhari, Vishal Jethwa, Ram Kapoor, Seema Biswas, Aditya Srivastava, Mohan Agashe, and others, Human is one of the hotly anticipated streaming shows, set to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar.
Human is a fictional series that enunciates the collateral damage caused due to fast-tracked drug trials for financial gains in a gripping tale that spins around innocent lives being lost to greed. Weaving stories that reveal the dark and twisted secrets of manipulation and dangerous ambition of the medical world, Human’s stellar cast also includes veteran actor, Seema Biswas along with Vishal Jethwa, Ram Kapoor, Aditya Srivastava, Mohan Agashe, and others.
The series has been penned by Mozez Singh, and Ishani Banerjee and has been produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah of Sunshine Pictures Pvt. Ltd. Human will be available on Disney+ Hotstar from 14th January 2022 in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali.
Set in the current world, Human’s story takes off in a medical world and touches upon compelling themes like the value of human life, medical malpractice, class divide, and the fatal ramifications of fast-paced medical science. The series follows the story of the ambitious Dr. Gauri Nath, one of the country’s top neurosurgeons, played by Shefali Shah. Successful and honourable, she is an iconic doctor and mentor to her protege, Dr. Saira Sabjawal but one shocking discovery throws both their lives into chaos. Dr. Saira Sabharwal, played by Kirti Kulhari, is a fierce character one would not want to miss. A compelling series dwelling in a tale of power struggles, lust, secretive pasts, trauma, and murders, Human, throws light on the dark twisted world of medical malpractice.
Director Vipul Amrutlal Shah said, “Human is a story that is very close to my heart. It is my first attempt at creating for a streaming platform and I am super excited for the audience to experience Human’s thrilling story. It has been great collaborating with the country’s leading streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar - their vision and support have taken the show to the next level. Human has not been an easy story to bring to screen given its critical storyline that touches so many issues that are pertinent to today’s day and life. However, the super talented cast does an exemplary work of perfectly portraying the characters. They make you love and hate the characters in equal measure which is a true testimony to the great skills Shefali Shah, Kirti Kulhari, Vishal Jethwa, and the others possess. I hope the audience loves and enjoys our creation.”
Co-director and writer Mozez Singh said, " Human tells the story of greed, deceit, and class. Working on Human’s script was a very intense journey for me as I discovered a different side of the medical world. It opened my mind and heart to the possibilities that the ones in power plot against the vulnerable members of society. I am grateful that Vipul Amrutlal Shah and I collaborated and were able to effectively visualize the storytelling that I had in mind while conceptualizing the series. Human’s story is one that was waiting to be told, and I am glad it was represented by a stellar cast and a supremely talented crew."
National award-winning actor, Shefali Shah said, “Streaming platforms for me have opened up A plethora of characters. Playing each one of them has been such a satiating and emptying and fulfilling experience. Dr. Gauri Nath is no exception. She is Pandora’s box of all that one can and cannot imagine. She raised the bar given the critical nature of the role. Wearing her skin was a first for me. I have never met nor heard of a person like her. She’s complicated and unpredictable. One of the most challenging characters I’ve played because we have absolutely nothing in common. Had I played her the way she was written I’d have been in the safe. But I chose to play her in an unexpected way and the directors thankfully agreed with my vision so she’s a gamble, a risk I’ve taken. And she’s pushed me out of my comfort zone. I hope my portrayal of her opens the audience’s mind to indecipherable characters like her. And the show opens our eyes to what actually happens when doctors who are considered gods actually start playing god.”
Versatile actor Kirti Kulhari said, “I am super excited to see the reactions Human will receive. Thriller as a genre has always intrigued and drawn me so getting to explore the role of Dr. Saira Sabarwal with a veteran like Shefali Shah in Human has been an absolute honour. We would spend hours going through the script trying to perfect the act much before the actual shoot. The script demanded a lot of silent acting and reacting where only our face and body language would be used to express. Pinning those complex scenes was hard but Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Mozez Singh’s direction helped us through. I really hope Human receives a lot of love and appreciation because a lot of blood and sweat has gone into crafting it."
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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