Sci-fi comedy for Harsh Mayar

A still from the series, Overtime

Life hasn't changed much for Harsh Mayar in the nine years since he bagged the National Award for I am Kalam (2010). Despite featuring in five films, including Rani Mukerji's Hichki, and a couple of web series, the youngster believes he has a long way to go. "I don't publicise my National Award win when I go for auditions. I would rather people sign me on if they believe I can pull off the role," he says.

After Gullak and Kanpuriye, Mayar is now seen in Overtime, an alien invasion dystopian comedy series. The five-episode offering, written and directed by Ashwin Lakshmi Narayan, revolves around two IT employees who try to survive the horrors of the alien world. "We have purposely tried to keep it comic because we didn't want to make the series grim. While the plot [hinges on it], we've not shown an alien; we have only hinted at it. If the next season [gets greenlit], we can hopefully explore that aspect in depth." Far from being a science fiction buff, Mayar says the show is his first brush with the subject. "I am new to the world of science. The brief caught my attention, and I asked [the makers] to send a few episodes over. The blend of aliens with comedy was interesting and had me hooked."

Harsh Mayar

Having dabbled in films as well as the digital medium, Mayar believes the latter offers greater exposure. "My Doordarshan show [Aadha Full] and Hichki gave me visibility. However, with the web boom, it has become easier to connect with the masses, especially the youth."

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