Durex & Y-Films take an unconventional route to sex education

Durex and Y-Films have come together to present a unique fictional web-series – Sex Chat with Pappu & Papa. The five-part fictional series will deliver information across different themes related to sex/sexuality, covering topics not openly discussed – from masturbation & periods to condoms, pregnancy and homosexuality. In a clean, honest style – with a lot of humour. And certainly a lot of heart.

This is the first time that a series is launching in 15 languages. It is set to be dubbed in six Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali and also subtitled in 10 international languages, including English, Chinese, French, Dutch, Spanish, German, Bahasa, Malay and Thai to begin with to get this important message out to as many people as possible.

Starring Anand Tiwari, Kabir Sajid, Sanjeeda Shaikh, ‘Dum Lagaa Ke Haisha’s Alka Amin and veteran actor Sachin Pilgaonkar, the series marks the directorial debut of Ashish Patil, Head of Y-Films. The series has been written by Gopal Datt and Devang Kakkad, with story development by Amritpal Bindra and Anand Tiwari. The story revolves around the Watsa family, featuring a curious 7-year-old boy, Pappu – who shoots the most outrageous questions to his Papa, Anand. Who attempts to answer them to the best of his ability – initially with a lot of awkwardness and eventually with a lot of fun, simple anecdotes. All this while his own father – the very traditional, conservative and possibly ‘khadoos’ Pitaji – keeps questioning his actions.

Producer-director Ashish Patil elaborated, “At Y-Films, we like to push the envelope with the stories we tell. Pappu & Papa is something that’s going to tear up that envelope and eat the shreds. It is incredible how still in the second most populous country in the world, sex is such a taboo topic. Most parents clam up when having to talk to kids about the ‘birds & the bees’. Research clearly shows that sex talk with parents is directly linked to safer sexual behaviour. We’re here to help get this important chat started – in 15 languages – after all, love and sex know no language. Hence, we’re also delighted to have partners like Durex on board help us get this message out to as many people as possible globally. So come on, let’s talk about sex, baby!”

On the launch of the series, a Durex spokesperson said, “For a country that has the third largest population of HIV cases and a condom penetration lower than 5 per cent, changing consumer behaviour towards safer sexual habits is extremely critical. But none of this will be remotely even possible if we continue to treat sex as a taboo. We are proud to partner with Y-Films for a web-series which we believe will eventually help in normalising the conversation on safe sex.”

The series is presented by Durex Feel Thin, in association with Ching’s Desi Chinese. The content has been heavily researched and ratified by some of the foremost medical experts, top hormonal, gynaecological doctors of the country.

Cast:
Papa, Anand Watsa – Anand Tiwari
Pappu, Punit Watsa – Kabir Sajid
Daddu, Vishwanath Watsa – Sachin Pilgaonkar
Mamma, Shireen Shaikh Watsa – Sanjeeda Shaikh
Dadi, Usha Watsa – Alka Amin

Crew:
Producer & Director – Ashish Patil
Writers – Gopal Datt, Devang Kakkad
Story Developed By – Amritpal Bindra, Anand Tiwari
Associate Producer – Nikhil Taneja
Cinematographer – Adil Afsar
Production Designer – Pronita Pal
Associate Director – Shraddha Pasi Jairath
Art Director – Sandeep Pandey
Editor – Antara Lahiri
Music – Superbia
Sound – Hitesh Chaurasia
Styling – Bidisha Kohli
Casting Director – Shanoo Sharma
Hair & Make-up – Ramesh C Panda
Chief AD – Mohit Chhabra
Direction Team – Sayanta Manna, Anugrah Bantawa, Hemant Hajare
2nd Unit DoP – Zuhair Afsar
Line Producer – Sikandar Rana
Casting Assistant – Charmi Gondalia
Making of & Promos – Taxi Films
Still & Still Moving Pictures Team – Dimple Mathias
Post Production Supervisor – Manish Gaur
Executive Producers – Still & Still Moving Pictures
Y-Films Gang – Adhiraj Singh, Raunaq Bajaj, Sakshi Gurnani