Upstarts: Netflix Unveils Release Date, Trailer, Cast for Next Indian Movie

It's only been a few days since Bard of Blood, but Netflix is already starting its marketing machine for the next original from India: Upstarts. We have a trailer and release date — October 18 — for Upstarts, which follows three college graduates, who are “determined to ride the burgeoning wave of startup companies” and “set out to change the world while making millions.” Directed by debutante Udai Singh Pawar, Upstarts stars Priyanshu Painyuli (Bhavesh Joshi Superhero), Chandrachoor Rai (Office vs. Office), Shadab Kamal (Har Har Byomkesh), Rajeev Siddhartha (Bekaaboo), Sheetal Thakur (Brij Mohan Amar Rahe), Ninad Kamat (Airlift), Swati Semwal (Fanney Khan), and Eijaz Khan (City of Dreams).

Upstarts was first announced by Netflix at a showcase event in Singapore in November last year alongside eight others, including the critically-acclaimed crime drama Soni released in January, the Priyanka Chopra-produced Marathi drama Firebrand in February, the Madhuri Dixit-produced Marathi comedy-drama 15 August in March, the romantic drama Music Teacher in April, and the Mithila Palkar, Abhay Deol-starrer comedy Chopsticks in May. Only two — the Anushka Sharma-produced period horror Bulbul, and the book-based romantic drama Cobalt Blue — remain from last year's announcement, while the last of them, Hotel Mumbai, never made it to Netflix due to rights issues.

Since then, Netflix has added to its Indian film slate with 10 more announcements back in April, which include films produced or directed by the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee (Khosla Ka Ghosla!), Ronnie Screwvala (Uri: The Surgical Strike), Farah Khan (Main Hoon Na), Sudhir Mishra (Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi), Sooni Taraporevala (Salaam Bombay!), Atul Sabharwal (Aurangzeb), Shashanka Ghosh (Veere Di Wedding), and Ruchi Narain (Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow). Netflix then signed a long-term deal with Johar in September, before announcing the Sushant Singh Rajput, Jacqueline Fernandez-starrer Drive as the first release.

Here's the official synopsis for Upstarts, via Netflix:

“Upstarts is a bromance about three college graduates — Kapil (Painyuli), Yash (Rai) and Vinay (Kamal) — from small-town India, captivated by the startup mania sweeping the country. The three friends now want to set up their own company that will change the world, while making them pots of money, of course. As they enter the rollercoaster startup ecosystem of big dreams, big money, and bigger sharks, they face the biggest question: What has greater value, their dreams or their friendship?”

Upstarts is out October 18 on Netflix in India and around the world. It has been produced by Raja Menon, Janani Ravichandran, and Jawahar Sharma of Bandra West Productions, which previously worked on the Saif Ali Khan-starrer remake Chef. Netflix claims Upstarts has been “supported by real-life heroes from the startup world in Bengaluru.”

The only other Netflix original from India in October is a Diwali special of Mighty Little Bheem, which is also out on October 18.