Thaindian News

By Arun Kumar
Washington, Jan 22 (IANS) Fox television network has chosen Canadian-born Indian American writer, director and producer Ajay Sahgal’s comedy “Nevermind Nirvana” as its next pilot.

The show resembles “Everybody Loves Raymond” but with Indian-Americans, says Sahgal, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It is an ensemble multicamera comedy about two grown-up sons, their Indian immigrant parents and their friends, including one of the son’s Caucasian girlfriend.

“It’s about how their lives intersect in often polarising ways and about the clash of the old Indian values and the new American values,” Sahgal said.

“Nirvana” is said to be largely based on real-life experiences by Sahgal, who is the son of Indian immigrants and is married to “Lie to Me” co-star Kelli Williams.

He first developed “Nirvana” for NBC and NBC Studios during the 2003-04 season under Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly, who then was NBC’s president of primetime development, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The project was picked up to pilot starring Kal Penn and Judy Greer and directed and produced by David Schwimmer.

In the fall of 2004, NBC redeveloped it as “Nearly Nirvana,” with Schwimmer as director-producer and, in a last-minute recasting of Arj Barker, Sahgal as the lead opposite Greer.

While it ultimately didn’t make the cut at NBC, Reilly remained a fan of the concept, and when Sahgal ran into him at a “Lie” event last year, Reilly encouraged him to revisit it, which Sahgal did under a blind script deal he had with 20th TV.

“Maybe third time is the charm,” Sahgal said, dismissing any possibility for him to star in the new pilot.

“I’d like it to be successful,” he quipped.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)