Docuseries 'First Act' chronicling experiences of child actors announced

'First Act', an original docuseries which chronicles the experiences of child actors and their parents as they navigate the Hindi entertainment industry, will start streaming on December 15. The series is written, produced, and directed by Deepa Bhatia under the banner of MalaKan Motion Pictures, with Amole Gupte serving as creative producer, a press release said.

'First Act' presents narratives shared by former child artists who have transitioned into lead actors, such as Sarika, Jugal Hansraj, Parzaan Dastur, and Darsheel Safary.

It also features insights from filmmakers Shoojit Sircar, Amole Gupta as well as casting directors Mukesh Chhabra, Honey Trehan, and Tess Joseph, who have worked closely with child artists during the course of their careers.

Aparna Purohit, head of Originals, India and Southeast Asia, Prime Video, said the streamer takes pride in presenting 'First Act', which shines a spotlight on the lives of child artistes in India, and unravels the daily challenges and pressures they navigate.



"When we heard the initial pitch for the story, we were eager to delve deeper, because we recognized the relevance of the subject.

"This is the first time ever that a story about child actors in the Indian entertainment industry has been attempted and we truly believe in the importance of bringing forth such narratives. This also marks our first collaboration with MalaKan Motion Pictures, and we are genuinely thrilled to unite in sharing a unified vision for this project," Purohit said in a statement.

Bhatia said she is delighted that professionals who started their careers as child actors have come forward to support this project.

"I feel it will be of special interest to the parents, educators, and filmmakers to see this documentary and understand the challenges faced by child actors so that they can step in and make things better where they can. I am looking forward to seeing the impact that this docuseries will create as it reaches global audiences with Prime Video," added the director.