Lionsgate Play's second Indian original Jugaadistan looks at college life, to be released on 4 March

Lionsgate Play’s second series after Hiccups & Hookups (2021), Jugaadistan (2022), moves from dysfunctional families to the college campus. The show will be premiered on 4 March.

The campus drama, directed by Akarsh Khurana and Adhaar Khurana, stars Sumeet Vyas, Arjun Mathur, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rukshar Dhillon, Taaruk Raina, Gopal Datt and Ahsaas Channa.

The press release for the show states Jugaadistan will feature “college politicians, professors who make students go weak in their knees, young people navigating their own moralities and matters of the heart”.

The first poster from the series shows the cast seated on the steps of their campus. Vyas sits in the front with a banner saying ‘Vote for Bhati’, while the other adults played by Chatterjee and Mathur sit in the back.

Rohit Jain, managing director of South Asia and Networks - Emerging Markets Asia, Lionsgate,  said in a statement, “It’s a show that we’ve put all our might behind. With Hiccups & Hookups we explored modern family dynamics; this time we take a real tour of campus life. It’s not as hunky-dory as our pop culture makes it seem with their nostalgic songs and romantic stories. We get real and explore the gritty side that has never been seen on screen before. At Lionsgate Play, the endeavour is to chase stories that are out of the ordinary and I can’t wait for the world to watch it.”

Mrinalini Khanna, vice-president of Originals at Lionsgate India, said the series is a delightful combination of all the colours of life that we experience in college. "Akarsh and Adhaar along with the writers and cast have managed to bring to life the innocence of growing up as well as the seriousness of making life-changing decisions at a young age, effortlessly. We’re excited to showcase a series that is not only contemporary but also timeless in many ways. I guarantee, no matter what age you’re at – you’re going to relate and reminisce with Jugaadistan.”

Akarsh, who has directed web-series such as Tripling and Mismatched (2020), said, “As a filmmaker and storyteller, you are always looking to push the envelope and challenge yourself. I wanted to do just that when this presented itself. While I have done youth-centric, college stuff before, this was like a different take on it. Like the darker side of our college years, and Delhi like we don't see often.”

He continued, “We delve into an array of issues — college politics, student dynamics, side incomes — all of which are significant in how people's lives are shaped in their formative years. After all, college is the beginning of the rest of your adult life. The decisions we take then usually have far-reaching consequences. I also really enjoyed the track of investigative journalism and the quest for the truth that runs parallel to all the student shenanigans."

Lionsgate Play is available to download on platforms like Google Play, Apple TV+ and Amazon Firestick for Rs149 per month and Rs699 per year.