In a major casting coup, Netflix India has signed celebrated Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar to headline its next high-profile series. The Viral Fever, popularly referred to as TVF, is producing this show, marking its third collaboration with Netflix following Kota Factory Season 2 & 3, and Hello Bachchhan.
The plot of the project is being kept under wraps; however,in and around the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), with Matondkar playing the role of a principal. Details of the rest of the ensemble haven’t been revealed yet. Shooting has commenced, and the makers are targeting a mid-2027 premiere on Netflix. When reached out, Netflix declined to comment
The yet-untitled project is directed by Divyanshu Malhotra from the script The two previously collaborated on TVF’s 2018 coming-of-age romantic drama Flames, and have separately also worked with the banner on various projects. Malhotra has previously directed Cubicles and Sixer for TVF, while Batra’s writing credits include Kota Factory, Operation MBBS, and Court Kacheri
The latest Netflix series marks one of Urmila Matondkar’s comeback projects after a span of over a decade. One of the most prominent Bollywood actresses of the 1990s and 2000s, Matondkar built a distinctive screen presence with films such as Rangeela, Satya, Indian, Judaai, Ek Hasina Thi, and Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. Her last substantial lead role was in the 2014 Marathi film Ajoba, while her last film appearance was in a song in Sanjay Dutt’s Blackmail (2018). She was most recently seen as one of the judges on Zee TV’s dance reality television show, DID Super Moms Season 3.
Matondkar is set to make her much-awaited acting comeback with a revenge thriller series titled Tiwari. The 14-episode show also features JD Chakravarthy, Gauahar Khan, and Rajesh Sharma in pivotal roles. Directed by Saurabh Varma, Tiwari is centred around a woman who, after being released from jail after 14 years for a crime she did not commit, sets out to hunt for the person who framed her. The show is currently in the post-production stage and aiming for a release on a major streaming platform in February 2027.
Meanwhile, TVF is currently awaiting the release of its maiden theatrical production, The Vvaan: Force of the Forest starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia, set to hit cinemas on September 25. The Arunabh Kumar-led company has built a strong reputation for producing youth-centric and family-friendly content through shows such as TVF Pitchers, Kota Factory, Panchayat, Gullak, Gram Chikitsalaya, Yeh Meri Family, and Aspirants, among others.
For more on Netflix’s upcoming slate from India, keep it locked here on What’s on Netflix.
