Radhika Apte

If the 3 Laws of Robotics prevent any AI from harming a human being, then what made a self-driving car run over a man in the quaint streets of North Goa? Well, bhavishya mein aapka swagat hai!

Disney+ Hotstar VIP welcomes you to the year 2031 with Hotstar Specials OK Computer – India’s first sci-fi comedy.

A series that gives you a sneak peek into the near future, a future that has arrived faster than anyone could imagine, and a future in which there are no legal or moral precedents for crimes committed by A.I for justice systems to follow, and the question of who to blame persists!

As the case progresses, and cybercrime detective, Saajan Kundu  – one who has an unflappable prejudice against robots clashes with the feisty Laxmi a tech-positive, empathetic, resourceful representative of ‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Every Robot (PETER)’ to solve this murder mystery, one can only expect the unimaginable to happen. With social commentary hidden between layers of comedy, a mockumentary style of narration, and visually striking imagery, OK Computer is nothing like any series you have seen before. The future is indeed Ajeeb!

Helmed by the makers of cult films such as  Ship of Theseus and Tumbbad, OK Computer is an unconventional series written and produced by Anand Gandhi, Pooja Shetty, and Neil Pagedar.

Director Pooja Shetty shares, “By the time we finished research and writing, OK Computer began to resemble a whimsical Ph.D. thesis. We wanted to create a plausible, authentic, and accessible future world that also extrapolated the absurdities, joys, and difficulties of present-day India. Maushi Bot and Ajeeb were born out of deliberation on this very idea. Ajeeb in particular generated the greatest awe in the writers’ room because – as a sentient messiah robot accused of murder – its character aptly encapsulated the shifting sands of worship and suspicion. The pursuit of a sentient intelligent entity is the pursuit of crafting something in our own image. As we move to make machines more realistic, and more human in their interactions, we have to now ask ourselves, is our species ready for competition?”

On the other hand director, Neil Pagedar said, “OK Computer is a half-a-decade-in-the-making love letter to science fiction. Sci-fi has been used to examine the wispy concepts of life as we know it- from exploring distant reaches of the galaxy to existential risk, to the place of humanity in an infinite cosmos. We wanted to reorient the depiction of sci-fi to the near future. We wanted to design an Indian science fiction story that investigated the role of rapidly evolving technology in a society that’s multi-cultural, diverse, and idiosyncratic. At a time when scientific progress exceeds the grasp of society, OK Computer seeks to be a zany, mad, incisive bridge to the future.”

Starring Radhika Apte, Vijay Varma, and Jackie Shroff; this futuristic series will make you question if AI helps or hinders?

The series explores themes inspired by current realities and is brimming with wry humor. OK Computer features bots like Maushi BOT, Welcome BOT amongst others which are designed specifically to cater to Indian sensibilities, and also the  Shudh-Hindi that makes a grand come-back in the series.

“After doing multiple projects in the digital space, I was really excited for my first sci-fi project especially playing the character of Laxmi. Laxmi is a really cool character who accepts the new future and befriends Robots like they are humans, I quite enjoyed playing this. Imagine waking up one day to a Maushi BOT to help you at home? Or Ajeeb who is more like a friend to you. How cool, Isn’t it? The best part is that every look of Laxmi in this series depicts her mood and I certainly look forward to the audiences to watch and know it,” added Radhika Apte.

The series also features an imminent cast including Rasika Dugal, Vibha Chibber, Sarang Sathaye, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, Kani Kusruti among others. 

Actor Vijay Varma added, “My roles have always been very intense, I was very eager to pick up something more in the space of comedy. When the script for OK Computer was offered to me, it seemed like it was programmed for me. The research that has been put into this show is outstanding and I couldn’t let go of the opportunity to play the role of Saajan, the anti-technology police officer but it’s quite the opposite in reality as I am usually the one who is enamored by advancements and technology. Saajan is carelessly funny and that’s what I love the most about him. I have prepped the longest for this part and made several discoveries and I hope audiences love the character just as I do.”

Who is the real killer? The truth unfolds on Hotstar Specials presents OK Computer, set to release on 26th March for all subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar VIP and Disney+ Hotstar Premium