The Making of Naina-The Hunt: How Rupali Talan and Pravin Talan Reimagined Vertical Cinema for Amazon MX Player's MX Fatafat

 

 

 

 

Created by Rupali Talan. Directed by Rupali Talan and Pravin Talan. Written by Pravin Talan.

Every Storytelling Medium Evolves

When audiences meet Naina, she appears to be a young wildlife photographer venturing deep into the wilderness on an assignment. Armed with little more than her camera and curiosity, she enters a forest that slowly reveals a far darker reality. What begins as an expedition into nature unfolds into a layered survival thriller where every answer uncovers another mystery, every escape leads to a greater danger, and every character hides more than they reveal. Human trafficking, betrayal, survival, action and psychological suspense gradually replace the serenity of the jungle until the line between hunter and hunted almost disappears.

That was exactly how I wanted audiences to experience Naina: The Hunt.

Long before the first page of the screenplay was written, however, Rupali and I were asking ourselves a different question: Could a vertical series deliver the same cinematic scale, emotional engagement and visual richness that audiences expect from mainstream cinema?

 

A New Chapter for Vertical Storytelling

India's vertical storytelling ecosystem has grown remarkably over the past year. Platforms such as Amazon MX Player's MX Fatafat have introduced millions of viewers to a new way of experiencing stories. Watching this evolution convinced us that the next phase would not simply be about producing more content—it would be about producing more memorable, cinematic content. We didn't want to make another vertical drama. We wanted to explore whether vertical storytelling could become vertical cinema.

Looking Through a Photographer's Eyes

One of the greatest advantages we brought into this project came from our years as photographers. Long before filmmaking became a major part of our lives, photography had trained us to think instinctively in both horizontal and vertical compositions. Portraits, action photography and documentaries constantly demand that you move between both orientations. We never saw the vertical frame as a limitation. We saw it as another canvas. That philosophy quietly shaped every visual decision in Naina: The Hunt.

An Original Story for a New Medium

Rather than adapting an existing screenplay, I wrote an original story and screenplay specifically for the vertical format. The screenplay was deliberately built in layers. Every episode answers one question while raising another. Just when viewers believe they understand the danger, the story changes direction again. Like the jungle itself, the narrative constantly shifts beneath your feet.

The Jungle Was Never Just a Location

The jungle was conceived as another principal character. Much of the series was filmed in real jungle terrain where changing light, rough landscapes and unpredictable conditions became part of the filmmaking process. Years spent documenting India's CAPFs, police, Armed Forces and real-world operations had taught us one lesson: never fight the environment—understand it, respect it and work with it. Instead of forcing nature to fit our production, we designed the production around nature.

Preparation Before Performance

As photographers we also knew that daylight is merciless. Once it disappears, it doesn't wait for another take. We therefore invested heavily in preparation before reaching the locations. The principal cast participated in multiple script readings and character discussions. Shreya Shankar also underwent physical preparation before principal photography so that once we entered the jungle, everyone was living the story rather than discovering it.

 

An Exceptional Cast

Shreya Shankar brought vulnerability, resilience and determination to the title role. Renowned actress Indira Tiwari delivered a commanding and deeply unsettling performance as Kalikaal, the feared woman who controls a ruthless human trafficking network hidden deep within the jungle. Powerful without excess, Kalikaal dominates through intelligence, restraint and unpredictability. Shahwar Ali brought authority and quiet intensity to his role, while Hasnain Hyderabadwala made an impressive acting debut. Remarkably, none of the principal actors had previously worked in the vertical format, yet every one embraced the challenge wholeheartedly.

 

Creating Cinema for a Mobile Screen

We never believed that a smaller screen demanded smaller filmmaking. The original background score, cinematic colour grading, tightly paced edit and immersive sound design were approached with the same seriousness as a feature film. To heighten the sense of speed and immersion, we also used high-performance FPV (First Person View) drones for several key chase sequences through the jungle—a rarity in Indian vertical storytelling because of the specialised equipment, experienced pilots and higher production costs involved. Those shots transformed the jungle from a backdrop into an active participant in the action.

 

Why Viewers Connected

One of the most rewarding responses since release has been hearing viewers describe Naina: The Hunt as unlike anything they had experienced in the vertical format. We believe that reaction comes from the combination of its visual scale, largely unexplored jungle landscapes, layered original story, tightly paced editing, cinematic colour palette, evocative original background score, immersive FPV drone cinematography and committed performances. Together, these elements created an experience many viewers felt was closer to cinema than conventional vertical drama.

A Creative Collaboration

No creative journey is undertaken in isolation. We remain grateful to Brijesh Tanna and the creative team at Amazon MX Player, whose thoughtful feedback and encouragement during development helped refine the series while remaining true to its original vision.

Looking Back

Looking back today, Naina: The Hunt represents much more than our first major fiction project. It represents our belief that every storytelling medium deserves to be explored to its fullest potential. If audiences remember the suspense, action, performances and emotional journey—and if the series encourages even a few creators to think differently about vertical storytelling—we will feel we achieved what we set out to do.

Watch Naina: The Hunt

Naina: The Hunt is streaming free on Amazon MX Player's MX Fatafat. Download the Amazon MX Player Android app and search for 'Naina: The Hunt'.

About the Creators

Rupali Talan is an action and lifestyle photographer, filmmaker and visual storyteller known for documenting India's special forces, conflict zones, corporate leaders and lifestyle brands. Naina: The Hunt marks her debut as a fiction creator and director.

Pravin Talan is a photographer, filmmaker, author and visual storyteller known for documenting India's CAPFs, police and Armed Forces through photography, films and coffee table books. He wrote the original story and screenplay for Naina: The Hunt and co-directed the series with Rupali Talan.