Gulshan Devaiah, Drashti Dhami-led series 'Duranga' to premiere on August 19

Mumbai: "Duranga", the official Hindi adaptation of popular Korean drama "Flower of Evil", will start streaming on ZEE5 from August 19.

Featuring actor Gulshan Devaiah and Drashti Dhami in lead roles, the show is directed by Pradeeep Sarkar and Aijaz Khan.

It chronicles the love story of Sammit (Devaiah) and Ira (Dhami), that unfolds in three different timelines.

“Hiding a twisted past, Sammit maintains a facade of a perfect husband to his Inspector wife, Ira. With a series of twists and turns, Ira begins investigating multiple gory copycat murders by the suspected accomplice of a psychopathic serial killer Bala, twenty years after his suicide.

"This case leads her to some shocking revelations about her husband! In true Kafkaesque style, the story will show how the protagonists wade through constant problems, despite which, they stand tall. But still leaving you with a question – How well do you know your partner?” read the official synopsis of the show.

Produced by Rose Audio Visuals, the nine-part series also stars Abhijit Khandkekar, Barkha Sengupta, Rajesh Khattar, Divya Seth and Zakir Hussain.

Devaiah said it was challenging for him to convincingly play a complex character like Sammit.

"It was a lot of fun and a fair bit challenging for me to figure out and seamlessly play the two sides of Sammit, one that you see and the other that you don’t see," the actor said in a statement.

As an avid viewer of Korean dramas, the show came was an interesting opportunity for her, said Dhami.

"What attracted me to 'Duranga' was its intriguing script which packs a punch with all the elements that make for a great story – from an unconventional love story and a seemingly perfect family to a hidden, twisted path and the unfolding of a series of crime, 'Duranga' has it all," she added.

The show marks Sarkar's return to suspense thriller genre after his Rani Mukherji-led feature "Mardaani" (2014).

“When I heard the story, I quite liked the plot. In the dual character of Sammit, Gulshan Devaiah rocked while on the other hand Drashti Dhami as a housewife/ super cop was really good. The more you get into the story, it ignites the characters in different shades and every twist and turn is new. It keeps you on the edge and you don’t realize how the episodes go by," the director said.

Khan added that the team has interpreted "Flower of Evil" keeping Indian sensibilities in mind.

"It is quite different from what I have done in the past and that is what drew me in. 'Duranga' is our interpretation of the show."