Mumbai: With rave reviews and viewer adulation, the Sphereorigins produced series ‘Ranneeti: Balakot and Beyond’ has managed to raise the benchmark of Indian OTT programming.
The show starring Jimmy Shergill, Ashutosh Rana, Lara Dutta, and Ashish Vidyarthi, among others and directed by Santosh Singh has managed to grab eyeballs with its gripping portrayal of hybrid warfare post the deadly Pulwama attacks, also being lauded for its authentic representation and storytelling.
“Ranneeti is indeed a great story with top-class acting providing a near-realistic portrayal of IAF as a professionally battle-hardened service. The episodes are riveting to watch, with direction and scenes of air battles in particular being of high quality, I would say, amongst the finest so far on Indian screens,” said Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani (Retd), former vice chief IAF conveying his wishes to the team behind the series.
However, it is learnt that bringing this complex narrative to life was no easy feat, with the creators facing numerous challenges in crafting a show that balanced technical accuracy with engaging drama. With over two years spent in research and development, the teams worked on multiple drafts before zeroing in on the final version.
“The original concept and research was ideated by Sanjay Chopra who is a pilot himself and I was very keen to make a Series on defence forces. One of the greatest challenges was ensuring that we honoured the real-life experiences of those involved in hybrid warfare. We had to approach the storytelling with empathy and sensitivity, particularly for viewers who may have personal connections to the themes explored.” said Sphereorigins Multivision Pvt Ltd producer and MD Sunjoy Waddhwa who is also known for producing path-breaking television shows like Balika Vadhu, Saraswatichandra, Peshwa Bajirao, Pandya Store and Saat Phere among the huge repertoire of the company.
The scale of "Ranneeti" was another significant challenge. The show being one of the most grand series made in India, required the teams to scout real-like locations to keep the authentic element of the show intact. Eventually, Ranneeti was shot at multiple locations like Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai, Belgrade and Novi Sad, across India and Serbia.
“We wanted to be authentic in all manners as best as we could while still creating a drama that would keep the audience hooked. Anything different could have ruined the experience for the viewer. There were logistical challenges, from scouting locations to coordinating shoots across various regions. Our team managed to navigate these hurdles and bring together a cohesive production ” Waddhwa added.
It is learned that to ensure the authenticity of the material, defence experts and aerial action experts were also brought in to work on the show, in addition to working with military artillery and fighter jets to ensure credibility and authenticity.
“…I had goosebumps during the depiction of the Balakot attack, especially the farewell party scene and the Wolf pack prep. I am so glad that it’s covering Abhinandan in detail, his role is illustrious. As was the lady AWACS controller …. I would like to extend my best wishes to the entire team of Ranneeti.” Said Air Marshal Gautam Nayyar congratulating the team.
A mammoth task to produce and execute, Ranneeti with the scale and storytelling of this calibre is what has enthralled fans across the country. Here’s hoping we get to see many more such shows and looking forward to yet another season of the show!
