Zindagi and Applause Entertainment’s The Pink Shirt starring Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali set for a world premiere at SXSW 2023 in Sydney on October 16

The Pink Shirt is the sole South Asian web series selected at the festival this year.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

October 4, 2023 - 12:10 PM IST

In a recently announced strategic partnership between the two renowned content studios Applause Entertainment and Zee’s Zindagi, for creating South Asian content; Sameer Nair and Shailja Kejriwal have announced yet another project, The Pink Shirt. The 8-episode web series, starring Pakistani superstars Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali, marks Applause Entertainment and Zindagi’s second project together. The content studios together promise to be a remarkable addition to the world of entertainment as the drama gears up for its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival 2023 Sydney (SXSW) at Palace Central Cinema on 16th October. Moreover, The Pink Shirt is the only South Asian Web Series selected at the Sydney this year.

Zindagi and Applause Entertainment’s The Pink Shirt starring Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali set for a world premiere at SXSW 2023 in Sydney on October 16

Following the announcement of Farar’s world premiere at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival earlier this month, The Pink Shirt adds a new feather to Zindagi and Applause Entertainment’s hat of achievements. To witness this global recognition at one of the largest annual festivals celebrating conglomeration of parallel cinema, interactive media, music, and much more; Pakistani superstars and lead actor Sajal Aly along with director Kashif Nisar, writer Bee Gul, and producer Shailja Kejriwal will be attending the grand festival in Australia.

The Pink Shirt is a riveting take on modern-day relationships, their love, challenges, and struggles in a raw & real way. The drama revolves around the journey of Sophia cast as Sajal Aly and Umer as Wahaj Ali being stuck in their respective toxic relationships with their partners Sameer and Sara and how they then discover an alluring intensity and embark on a transformative journey towards love that mends them as people.

The renowned SXSW festival marks its debut in Sydney this year, making its first foray outside Austin, Texas. The festival will have a diverse array of content, with an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.

Expressing her excitement, lead actor Sajal Aly said, "The Pink Shirt challenged me in ways I never imagined, delving deep into the complexities of human connections. It's a journey I've embraced with open arms, and as we prepare for its world premiere in Sydney, I can't contain my excitement to share this emotional voyage with the world."

Pakistani heartthrob Wahaj Ali added, "Portraying the complexities of human relationships in The Pink Shirt has been a remarkable challenge and the script demanded an exploration of emotions and vulnerabilities that pushed me as an actor. My experience working with Sajal and Kashif has been an absolute delight. I can't wait for the audiences to embark on this emotional rollercoaster with us."

Director Kashif Nisar said, "As the director of The Pink Shirt, I am humbled and thrilled by the opportunity to showcase our work at the prestigious SXSW Sydney as the only representative of the South Asian web series, hoping it will resonate with audiences worldwide and contribute to the rich tapestry of storytelling from our region. It was an absolute pleasure working with Shailja and Bee Gul on this project, and we couldn’t be happier for Zindagi and Applause Entertainment’s collaboration as this merger provides us with the ultimate platform this special project really needs.”

Reflecting on this significant milestone, Chief Creative Officer (Special Projects) Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Shailja Kejriwal adds, "I couldn't be happier to announce our yet another collaboration with Applause Entertainment. It's truly thrilling to see The Pink Shirt selected as the only South Asian web series at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival Sydney. This achievement underscores our commitment to bringing diverse narratives to a global stage. I'm immensely proud of our team and excited to witness The Pink Shirt captivate audiences at SXSW Film Festival, Sydney"

Writer Bee Gul adds, “As the writer of The Pink Shirt, my intention has consistently been to weave a tale of love, loss, and unwavering strength that deeply connects with audiences around the globe. The exhilarating debut of our show at the SXSW Film Festival in Sydney is the realization of a long-held dream, affording us a worldwide stage to share this emotionally resonant narrative. I'm profoundly grateful to Shailja for recognizing the same potential we envisioned in 'Pink Shirt' and selecting it as the second collaborative endeavour between Zindagi and Applause Entertainment."

What do you get when you mix complex relationships, a comedy of errors, dramatic moments, a fishbowl, a ‘corny’ date, and a pink shirt?
Applause Entertainment presents a Zindagi Original - 'The Pink Shirt', set to have its world premiere at SXSW Sydney this month. pic.twitter.com/P4Rpr08EGP
— Zindagi (@Zindagi) October 4, 2023

Presented by Applause Entertainment, a Zindagi original The Pink Shirt an 8-part web series, is a South Asian collaboration between India and Pakistan. Directed by Kashif Nisar & written by Bee Gul, starring Sajal Aly and Wahaj Ali, the series highlights a riveting take on modern-day relationships, their love, challenges, and struggles. Narrated in a raw & real way, The Pink Shirt is a simple & confusing, tragic yet funny tale of broken and complex relationships.