Vishaal Reddy and "Insomnia"
Writer/ Actor / Producer Vishaal Reddy recently launched his kickstarter to help fund his new project "Insomnia." The project takes us on a journey that is not conventionally seen within the South-Asian community and we love it! Vishaal has painted a clear picture of his project with well produced media that is promising to deliver a solid finished project. We highly recommend everyone to do what they can to help contribute! We're so proud of our brother and can't wait to see INSOMNIA come to life!
INSOMNIA is a new dark comedy series about Nikhil - a queer, Indian American going through an identity crisis. When his aunt's medical bills begin to pile up, he has a chance encounter with a stranger who introduces him to the world of escorting. Through these adventures, he explores his sexuality, experiences euphoria, deals with racism, and suffers with loneliness - all while trying to get a good night's rest!
Insomnia Kickstarter Video
Via KiCKSTARTER
In the current media landscape, we still rarely see queer, South Asian stories. Insomnia, a five part scripted mini series that explores the life of a queer South Asian writer and escort in NYC, provides an opportunity for queer storytellers (and a female director) to be in the driver seat and unapologetically tell these stories, complete with a diverse cast and crew! Insomnia is a series created by actor and writer, Vishaal Reddy. The show explores Nikhil Rao - a queer Indian-American, book editor who secretly moonlights as an escort in New York City. Insomnia is a half hour, handheld, single-camera dramedy. Taking cues from Master of None, Fleabag, and High Maintenance, the series follows the poignantly, absurd, late night adventures of an Indian-American escort in his twenties. Nikhil defies any expectation of an indian character. Gone are the deli owners, doctors, and tech guy parts that we often find ourselves, and in comes Nikhil- a queer, Indian American editor whose ethnicity is a large part of who he is, but it’s not the defining part of it. Grounded in realism, yet with a character that breaks the fourth wall, the series explore the unique challenges of being an escort in the 21st century, while also delving into the themes of sexuality, race, and mental health. With zany side character and illusory flashbacks, the series dives into Nikhil's struggle to balance his “real” life and his escort life. Insomnia provides an incredible opportunity to tap into an impressive pool of LGBTQ+ and South Asian talent to tell a three dimensional, humorous, and thought provoking story. With a release date set for the fall of 2018, our goal is to create an a a full season order for the mini series (that would be Emmy eligible), setting the stage for more seasons to come! We want this show to tell the story of identity in a unique and new way, so let's do it!
Insomnia Teaser No. 1
Insomnia Teaser No. 2
Insomnia Teaser No. 3
