Ali Fazal, Nushrratt Bharuccha speak about the Asia Contents Awards nominations

Netflix India's series Ray (2021) and artistes Ali Fazal and Nushrratt Bharuccha have been nominated for four awards at the third edition of the Asia Contents Awards. The winners will be announced in a hybrid event on 7 October as part of the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.

Ray, directed by Srijit Mukherji, Abhishek Chaubey and Vasan Bala, is competing for Best Original OTT series, Best Actor and Technical Achievement, while Bharuccha, who featured in Raj Mehta’s segment in the anthology film Ajeeb Daastaans (2021), is in the running for Best Actress.

Ali Fazal played rising entrepreneur Ipsit Nair in Mukherji’s segment Forget Me Not based on the short story Bipin Chowdhury'r Smritibhrom (Bipin Chowdhury’s Lapse of Memory) by legendary auteur Satyajit Ray.

Speaking about the nomination, Fazal said, “I am humbled to receive the nomination for Best Actor. It means a lot to be recognized by Asia Contents Awards. It is an honour to land a nomination amongst such an impressive line-up of films and talent. I would like to express my gratitude to the Busan International Film Festival and to the team of Ray and Netflix India.”

In the segment Khilauna from Ajeeb Daastaans, Bharruccha played Meenal, a house help who has to deal with unwanted advances from her employer.

Sharing her excitement about the nomination, Bharruccha said, “Ajeeb Daastaans is one of those films I did purely for myself, purely for the passion I have for films, stories and cinema. Being recognized on a global stage for it is just so overwhelming. I am ecstatic to be nominated by Busan International Film Festival 2021 for its 3rd Asia Contents Awards.

“So honoured to see my name alongside other talented actors from different countries,” she added. “This nomination gives me more impetus to follow my calling with renewed fervour, to do what I love everyday! I am grateful to the team of Ajeeb Daastaans and also to Netflix for carrying stories like this and introducing characters like Meenal to viewers across the world."

Viacom18 COO Ajit Andhare, a producer on Ray, stated that the team was honoured by the acknowledgement of its efforts by the jury. “Ray was conceptualized by adapting Satyajit Ray’s eclectic short stories to a palate that appeals to digital audiences,” he said. “The nominations we have received at Asian Contents Awards in Busan is testament to the power of the underlying works and honesty in our recreation.”