Prateek Kuhad, the Indian singer-songwriter behind hits like "Cold/Mess" and "Kasoor", is set to make his film acting debut in Dar Gai's "Drowning" ("Doobna" in Hindi/Urdu). This marks a significant step for Kuhad, who has already achieved success in the music industry, with his songs reaching the top of Spotify India and being featured on Barack Obama's year-end playlist. The film, produced by Marginal MediaWorks in partnership with D36 and Jugaad Motion Pictures, is set in New Delhi and explores the life of Tarush, an indie musician who rises to fame but struggles with the consequences of a criminal record label boss. The project began as a collaboration between Kuhad and Gai, who previously directed the video for Kuhad's song "Cold/Mess", which was named Rolling Stone's Music Video of the Year. Gai's previous films, such as "Three and a Half" and "Namdev Bhau: In Search of Silence", have received critical acclaim and festival recognition. The film's unique blend of contemporary music scene and traditional Bollywood format, as described by Sanjay M. Sharma, the film's producer, is a response to the gap in how South Asian music culture is represented on screen. This production is part of Marginal's broader international slate, which aims to showcase South Asian culture and talent on a global stage, targeting a trillion-dollar market with a rapidly growing youth population. Kuhad's involvement in "Drowning" is a testament to his versatility and the film's potential to bridge the gap between music and cinema in South Asia.
