Sony LIV’s riveting detective thriller series, Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley, has been making waves since its trailer’s release. The pilot episode available on the platform immersed viewers into the recently upturned world of detective Charlie Chopra (Wamiqa Gabbi), who now wants to dive straight into the story to put their anticipation to rest. Set in the snow-capped mountains of Himachal Pradesh, the series follows the journey of Charlie Chopra and her quest to uncover a deep mystery when every face hides a secret.
Himachal Pradesh is central to the story and while the rest of the cast had their own unique experiences when shooting in the hills, for Priyanshu Painyuli, who plays Sitaram Bisht, a local news broadcast journalist in Solang Valley, it was like going back to his home, as he is a native to the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand.
Talking about his shooting experiences in and around Manali, he said, “It is quite a surreal feeling as, hailing from Dehradun, there is a certain sense of familiarity and comfort I share with the hills. This character is not just any role, but a parallel representation of my roots and the surroundings that have shaped me, so breathing life into it was a very fulfilling experience.”
Furthermore, sharing his experience preparing for the role, Priyanshu said, “I spent considerable time interacting with the locals there and tried emulating their accent and mannerisms accordingly to bring out a more authentic portrayal of the people and their culture on screen. I watched a lot of videos to study the reporting styles of local journalists in Himachal and the kind of issues they spoke on to capture that essence in my portrayal of Sitaram.”
Charlie Chopra and the Mystery of Solang Valley, in association with Tusk Tale Films, is co-written by Anjum Rajabali and Jyotsna Hariharan along with Vishal Bhardwaj. Directed by Bhardwaj, the series boasts an impressive ensemble cast featuring Wamiqa Gabbi (Charlie Chopra), Priyanshu Painyuli (Sitaram Bisht), Naseeruddinw Shah (Dr Rai), Neena Gupta (Janki Rawat), Ratna Pathak Shah (Ms. Bharucha), Gulshan Grover (Brigadier Meherbaan Rawat), Lara Dutta (Wilayat), Chandan Roy Sanyal (Manas), and Paoli Dam (Saloni) amongst others.
Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley streaming from 27th September on Sony LIV!
