Anil Kapoor‘s 24 hits television screens tomorrow, and is expected to run on Fridays and Saturdays at 10pm. Needless to say, we’re definitely looking forward to this, especially since Anil Kapoor has been planning it for so long and has gone out of his way to ensure that he delivers a product that he’s proud of. The American television show was a big hit, but will the Indian one live up to its name? We’re hoping it does – and we’re expecting it to! Here are 24 reasons why we’re looking forward to 24. What are yours?
1. It’s a different format. Our television programming these days consists of pretty much only saas-bahu serials and reality shows. It’ll be a breath of fresh air getting to see something different!
2. It’ll pave the way for future shows. Since there are some big names backing this project, we’re hoping other people sit up and take note – and perhaps offer us more diversity in the future.
3. It’s going to be gripping. We love edge-of-the-seat thrillers, and this looks like it’s all set to be one, especially since the pacing is rapid: every 24-episode season in the American TV series covered 24 hours of the protagonist’s life, and we’re expecting the same case here.
4. The show is a mix of reality and fiction. And aren’t those always the most interesting stories?
5. It’s the first fictional Hindi TV show to have a mainstream Bollywood actor in the lead. Several actors have done television stints in the past, but this is perhaps the first time that a show will have such a huge star as the main lead.
6. It’s Anil Kapoor best work. The actor has said before that 24 will be his “best work ever,” and considering that he’s done some great projects in the past, we’re expecting the bar to be high.
7. It’s a chance to see Anil Kapoor in a different avatar. He’s donned many looks throughout his films, but Jai Singh Rathod will still be a different character for him, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he pulls it off.
8. It brings together 3 very established and talented stars: Anil Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher. 3 of them have been around for a very long time, so it’ll be fantastic to see them work together. Even Shabana Azmi said that she agreed to do 24 because she’s come to expect great quality from Anil Kapoor.
9. We’ll get to see a host of other actors back on screen. Folks like Mandira Bedi, Tisca Chopra and Rahul Khanna aren’t seen on-screen as often as we’d like them to be, but they’re all coming together for this season of 24.
10. Mandira Bedi’s character looks badass. And if there’s one thing we need more of, it’s badass female characters.
11. Rahul Khanna. Because we’re fangirls and will watch anything he’s a part of.
12. They put a lot of work into it. Apparently, each episode was shot for 10 days, so we’re guessing that they took every effort to really get it right. That’s comforting!
13. They’re already planning a second season. For me, this means that they’ve (hopefully) got a good, solid story in place, something that they can execute long-term. Too many of our TV shows these days seem to be last-minute twists and turns inserted just for the sake of taking the story forward, but planning a second season shows that they’ve put some thought into story development.
14. Sonam may be a part of the next season. Although she wasn’t able to be a part of this season, Anil Kapoor has gone on record to say that he hopes Sonam will be involved in the second season, provided this one goes well.
15. The second season may be about the Mumbai attacks. Rumour has it that the writers may explore the 26/11 Mumbai attacks for the second season of the show. While it’s still a sensitive topic for many, it’s good to see that the makers are putting effort into tailoring the show to the Indian audience.
16. They’re Indianising it. We tend to balk at the phrase “Indianising,” but I feel like it’s the best move for a show like this. That ensures a wider reach and a higher chance of it catching on, which is great for getting the word out that we can – and should – make content for television that’s a little different than what we’re used to.
17. The international team is not interfering in the making, which, we’re guessing, gave the Indian team a little more flexibility to interpret the show the way they want to. It also seems to show a fair amount of trust on the part of the international team!
18. It’s partly directed by Abhinay Deo. He gave us the fantastic Delhi Belly, so he clearly knows what he’s doing.
19. It’s written by Rensil D’Silva and Bhavani Iyer. Rensil has penned stories like Rang De Basanti and Kurbaan, while Bhavani has scripts like Black and Lootera under her belt. So they’re definitely two writers who can create a good story, and we’re expecting deliver with 24 as well.
20. Kiefer Sutherland. Reportedly, Kiefer (the lead of the American TV series) has expressed interest in associating with the Hindi version. While we’re not sure whether that’s going to materialise, the possibility has us interested enough.
21. The pre-publicity. We’re looking forward to the promotional rounds. Anil has already put in some great appearances on Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and Bigg Boss, but there’s more. Tonight he’s on Times Now with Arnab Goswami. The nation wants to know, will 24 deliver on the hype?
22. Their hopes are high. The makers are expecting good reviews, which means that they’re fairly confident with what they’ve done. Anil Kapoor claims that he’s “never been so excited” in his career, which makes us excited, too!
23. The tweets/jokes are going to be great. Jack Bauer became an Internet phenomenon, with his name being used for Chuck Norris-style jokes. Maybe Jai Singh Rathod will inspire Rajnikanth-esque facts in his name?
24. It’s a labour of love. The team has claimed that they faced quite a few problems while shooting for the show, but still pulled off everything that they needed to. Anil Kapoor even said he’s put his “heart and soul into it.” And don’t the best works come when you do that?