
Bengali OTT platform KLIKK unveiled the first look of its upcoming web series, @Followers, that sees actress Sohini Guha Roy in the lead role. This show will be Sohini's debut into the OTT space.
The show sees Hiya Bose (Sohini Guha Roy) as a very well known face of the popular television serial Lakshmi. However Hiya, feels left out of the rat race for followers in her world of TV serial entertainment. Desperate to grow her followers through shortcuts like bold shoots and reels on social media, she entrusts all her social media responsibilities to Soumya. At his suggestion, Hiya becomes part of a bizarre game plan to boost her followers.
What's the plan? They’ll publish fake news on social media claiming that Hiya Bose, the popular actress of the Lakshmi serial, has died of a heart attack. This would necessitate her to disappear anonymously. Following the plan, Hiya hides for three days at Soumya’s hotel on a secluded island called Bagulan.
As the narrative progresses, Hiya becomes a victim of mysterious circumstances and is killed.
This game of playing with emotions was despised by her ardent follower, Anindya, who truly loves Hiya from the bottom of his heart. He despises Hiya's decision to expose herself to social media for followers, as well as people like Soumya who encourage such despicable behaviour.
Hiya’s drastic change also doesn’t go down well with her elder brother Pallab. Annoyed by his sister’s controversial photos, Pallab wants to severe ties with her. His peace lies in disowning his sister and claiming her property.
Yet Hiya had remained steadfast in her goal—to grow her followers. No matter what! But in this pursuit, Hiya ends up getting murdered.
Enter Anukul Barman, the local police station officer-in-charge. A man far removed from this modern, digital world. Will the non tech savvy veteran cop be able to solve the murder? Who is the killer? Is it someone of close proximity to Hiya? Or is it someone else lurking in the shadows of the internet?
Directed by Rajdeep Ghosh, the show will see actors like Shantilal Mukherjee, Indrasish Roy, Sohini Guha Roy, Amlan Majumder, Samiul Alam, and Sandy, with story, screenplay and dialogues by Amlan Majumder and background score by Pranjal Das.
Director Rajdeep Ghosh says, "Have you ever clicked a smiling selfie with the dead body of your own father or mother after their demise? People do that now, posting it on Facebook and enjoying the number of followers they gain from it. We are living in a terrifying time... where followers are a must. We are consumed by a strange, deadly obsession. I felt this needed to be addressed. My language is cinema, so as soon as I heard of the subject, I jumped in to the fray. I strongly believe that we must ensure that the world remains livable for the children of future generations.
Sohini, who makes her debut into OTT says, "This is my first web series, and I’m extremely happy that my journey as a web series debutant has begun with KLIKK. The content of this web series is extremely relevant. Social media has become a significant part of everyone’s life. But whether it is a blessing or a curse depends entirely on us. If we let social media take control of our lives and well-being, it becomes a serious concern.
I am grateful to and thank our director, Rajdeep Ghosh, for giving me the freedom to shape this character according to my imagination. It was a challenging role that required a lot of mental resilience to portray.
"I have had this perennial habit of conveying a social message in every screenplay I work on," says actor-writer Amlan Majumder. "Stories like #Bhagar, inspired by the Bhagar scandal, or Shaktirupen, a tale protesting against rape, are living examples of this. Similarly, this story, @Followers, carries a strong message.
"Today, everyone is intoxicated by a bizarre obsession with increasing followers. People don’t even hesitate to bare themselves daringly on social media. Work is no longer the benchmark for one’s worth—followers are. It’s a dangerous addiction, perhaps even the new modern drug. But have we ever stopped to think about the consequences? Through this story, I’ve tried to raise many such critical questions. If I can help even one person break free from this deadly obsession, I’ll consider myself blessed," he adds.