Director-Producer Abhigyan Jha, known for his innovative approach to storytelling, helms the production house Mrinal Abhigyan Jha (MAJ) Productions with his partner and prolific writer Mrinal Jha. The production house has delivered groundbreaking projects like Qubool Hai 2.0 (shot in Serbia), Pishachini, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Janani – AI Ki Kahani (India’s first show on artificial intelligence), and FSEX (The Free Speech Experiment). Together, the duo focuses on bringing something new to the table with every project.
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“Our method is our little trade secret. But the number one rule Mrinal and I follow is: Is it something we have never seen before? Will we be excited if we heard about it?” says Jha.
Bringing a story to life on screen is no easy task, and the director producer acknowledges the complexity involved. “It’s a lot of work. And it’s not just visuals – there’s audio. Sometimes, on a show like The Socho Project, the audio literally takes years to produce and perfect. Every character, every setting, the treatment, the colours, the way the camera moves, the VFX, the costumes—there are way too many details that spring from the pages. Each has to be designed, with dedicated teams executing them. There are drawings and PPTs and references and demos… Anything to get close to the absolute magic we feel in our imagination,” he explains.
Creating authentic and relatable characters is key to a successful show, and Jha believes the uniqueness of a character is the most important factor. “The key is—what’s unique about these characters? What do they bring to the table? Why would anyone be excited about them? In the end, character is just behaviour on screen,” he explains.
As a director, Jha’s approach to working with actors centers on freedom and understanding. “I try to understand my actors. I like to cast people in a role because they have something inside them that ignites that particular character. I try to set them free. I try to catch their behaviour as they become their characters instead of pushing them into a straightjacket where everything is too pre-decided. From this freedom comes the most beautiful expression of character. My DOP is encouraged to capture the actors instead of boxing them into neat blocks,” he adds.
