Ram Kapoor to star in Indian adaptation of 'Monk'

Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) Actor Ram Kapoor will be seen leading the Indian adaptation of the police procedural comedy drama detective mystery television series “Monk.”

Ram, who has starred in series including Kasamh Se and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, will play Armaan Mistry in the series, which is being made for Disney+ Hotstar and will release on June 27, reports deadline.com.

Ram said, “Armaan Mistry is a character unlike any I’ve played before. The whole experience of shooting Mistry was so immersive – I have deep dived into this character and understood his quirks, his brilliance and his vulnerabilities. It is a character very close to my heart and I am thrilled with how it has come out. I cannot wait for the audiences and my fans to see me as Mistry on JioHotstar.”

Armaan Mistry is ostensibly the Indian version of Tony Shalhoub’s Adrian Monk, who worked with the San Francisco Police Department on unconventional cases.

Mona Singh plays ACP Sehmat Siddiqui, while Shikha Talsania and Kshitish Date Mulshi also star. Mistry will premiere on June 27 on the streaming service, which is also known as JioHotstar locally.

It is produced by Banijay Asia in association with Universal International Studios and directed by Rishab Seth.

It marks the first adaptation of the series, about a detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder, in South Asia and comes after a deal between Banijay Asia and NBCUniversal Formats to remake shows for the Indian market, as per deadline.com.

“Monk” follows Adrian Monk, a private detective with obsessive–compulsive disorder and multiple phobias including apparent mysophobia and his assistants Sharona Fleming and Natalie Teeger.

Monk works with the San Francisco Police Department in solving unconventional cases while investigating his wife's unsolved murder. The show also explores the main characters' personal lives and struggles.

Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO, Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, added, “At Banijay Asia, we’ve always believed in telling stories that not only entertain but also challenge conventions. Mistry is a perfect reflection of that vision — it is a seamless blend of crime, humour and heart. It is also a very character-driven show, and we have put our best foot forward to make our protagonist, Armaan Mistry, portrayed brilliantly by Ram, hit all the right chords.”

Linfield Ng, VP, Format Sales & Production, NBCUniversal Formats said, “It’s always exciting to see a format as iconic as Monk take on new life, and with Mistry, we couldn’t have asked for a better team to bring it to screen.”

“Ram Kapoor brings real charisma and depth to Armaan Mistry, and together with the rest of the exceptional cast, the series promises something truly special. Huge credit to our incredible partners at Banijay Asia and director Rishab Seth for capturing the spirit of the original while reimagining it through a distinctly local lens.”

--IANS

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