Artistes Speak on the Unique Supernatural Crime Show ‘The Last Hour’
Amazon Prime Video presents
The Last Hour Official Trailer 2021,
A New Amazon Original Series,
Directed by Amit Kumar
Starring Sanjay Kapoor, Karma Takapa, Shaylee Krishen, Robin Tamang, Mandakini Goswami,
Tenzein Choden, Lanuakum, Noksha Saham and Shahana Goswami & Raima Sen.
Release Date – May 14.
By R.M. VIJAYAKAR/Special to India-West
MUMBAI — Amazon Prime Video’s first-ever Indian supernatural crime series, “The Last Hour,” which streams May 14, is packed with heavy doses of suspense, mystery and unexpected twists and turns. It stars Sanjay Kapoor, Karma Takapa, Shahana Goswami, Shaylee Krishen, Raima Sen, Robin Tamang and Mandikini Goswami in prominent roles.
In the trailer, we Arup, a newly transferred seasoned city cop (essayed by Sanjay Kapoor) put in charge of tracking down a mysterious killer in a small Himalayan town. Unable to get to the bottom of the investigation, he ropes in Dev, a mysterious, young Shaman (played by Karma Takapa) as his local informant, who has a secret gift of communicating with the dead in their last hour, to solve the case.
Arup finds himself lost in a maze only to find out that there exist a host of hidden secrets that will change his life forever. With the past wreaking havoc in the present, this show sets the premise for a fascinating watch that’s going to have viewers hooked to their screens.
The show is created, written and produced by Amit Kumar and Anupama Minz, and executive produced by Amit Kumar and Academy Award and four-time BAFTA award winner, Asif Kapadia.
Sanjay Kapoor says, “Having played a host of diverse roles in films over the last 26 years, I was thrilled when I was approached to be a part of this supernatural crime thriller to play the lead character of Arup. Working in “The Last Hour” has truly been an amazing experience for me. When Amit narrated the story to me, I had no second thoughts and just knew right away that I had to be a part of this show. I loved playing a cop in this story, which has a very unique concept and narrative. A story like this deserves to be told to a wide audience and I’m glad that a global streaming giant like Amazon Prime Video will showcase our work to viewers across the world.”
The actor goes on, “When we were done with the shoot, the entire cast and crew would always eat lunch and dinner together. Food is a very important part of my life and I take it very seriously. Every day, I would order food for the whole team. Once we were shooting in a very small town, and Babu, who has been my lifeline since the last three decades, came to my room and said that since there’s only one gas stove in the kitchen, it’s better to order a few hours in advance to make sure the food gets ready on time. So, by the second day, I would order three hours earlier so that they could make all the dishes on time. But I must say that we ate some amazing food and that you get the best organic, vegetarian food in Sikkim. The food quality is absolutely outstanding. I normally eat non-vegetarian for lunch and breakfast, but back in Sikkim, I ended up eating a lot of vegetarian fare.”
Shahana Goswami adds, “Yes, Sanjay would order for all of us and came to know of all our food preferences. As for the show, I am really enjoying being a part of the OTT space as there is scope for an actor to really go into the depth of a character and the storyline. With “The Last Hour,” I got a chance to play the role of a cop for the first time, which was really exciting for me. The series beautifully captures the scenic and picturesque locales of north-east India and explores the mysterious concept of Shamans. I feel the narrative of the series is sure to grip the audience’s attention, which is why I am really looking forward to their response.”
Karma Takapa states, ““The Last Hour” is very close to my heart as I belong to Sikkim. A genuine mainstream narrative based out of this part of the country has been long overdue and I am delighted that the show will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video and the region will be showcased to its global audience. I am a director and I never thought Amit would approach me to audition for this intense role of Dev, a Shaman. When he narrated the script, I knew right away that I want to be a part of this series. With its gripping storyline, laced with supernatural elements, I am sure that audiences will absolutely love the series.”
Shaylee Krishen puts in, “I am making my digital debut with “The Last Hour,” and this show will always be extremely special to me because I can relate to my character Pari very well—a young girl who is standing in darkness, wondering, thinking, fearing and doubting everything. Born and brought up in Kashmir, I have had a turbulent childhood, so that really helped me in playing Pari. It has been an amazing learning experience for me and I am very thankful to our director Amit Kumar for the trust he placed in me.”
Raima Sen added, “I essay the role of a very mysterious character, one that I really enjoyed playing. I was intrigued about the whole narrative and concept of the show when I heard the script. Also, this is the first time in my career that I actually gave a screen-test and auditioned for a role. I remember being so nervous during the process and then so excited when I passed the test. I had a great time working with this ensemble act and we together made some great memories shooting in the North East. I am just so happy to be a part of this series.”
Robin Tamang also said, “I don’t just play an ordinary villain. I play the role of an evil and dark shaman. Things certainly couldn’t get any better and more interesting for me, as I love supernatural content. As I am a Nepali, the biggest challenge for me was that I don’t speak Hindi. But Nepali is similar to Hindi, and the role was just too exciting for me and I knew I had to give this a shot. With the support of the cast and creators, I think I managed and did justice to the character of Yamanadu.”