Manoj Bajpayee Announces His Next, Zee 5 Film 'Silence... Can You Hear It?', Shares Look From His First Whodunnit

Streamer ZEE5 on Wednesday announced murder mystery feature "Silence... Can You Hear It?" with actors Manoj Bajpayee, Prachi Desai and Arjun Mathur in the lead.

Produced by ZEE Studios and directed by Aban Bharucha Deohans, the film traces the story of the mysterious disappearance of a woman.

"As she prepares to leave her house, a tragedy befalls following which the woman disappears only to have her corpse turn up a day later, discovered by trekkers," the official synopsis read.

Bajpayee said he has never been a part of a whodunnit project, and therefore he was instantly drawn to the world which Deohans has created.

"It was my wish to see her as a director starting with this film. I gave her the dates as soon as I saw a 30 days window. She has been so thorough and so well prepared throughout the shoot that it's been a joyful experience working under her," the actor said in a statement.

Ashima Avasthi, Vice President Creative and Head at Zee Studios Originals, said "Silence Can You Hear It?" will keep the audiences hooked with its contemporary treatment of a thriller.

"The movie has reimagined a classic whodunnit for the modern yet rooted Indian audience. It highlights the studio's promise of delivering sophisticated yet broad base content for a varied audience."

The film marks the digital debut of Desai, known for featuring in films like "Once Upon a Time in Mumbai" and "Rock On!!".

The 32-year-old actor said the film gave her the right opportunity to jump into the world of OTT.

"I can't wait for everyone to witness the unusual role I am playing, a first in this genre for me. I am so happy to be working with such a stellar cast, it's a humbling experience too," she added.

Mathur, who was recently nominated for the 2020 International Emmy Awards for his performance in "Made in Heaven", said he is confident that the film "will be a winner too."

"We are back on the sets at the end of a very trying year. I'm truly excited to be here alongside this extremely talented ensemble and looking forward to the premiere on ZEE5," he said.

"Silence... Can You Hear It?", which will debut on Zee5 in March, 2021, also features Sahil Vaid, Vaquar, Barkha Singh, Shirish Sharma, Sohaila Kapoor, Amit Thakkar and Garima Yagnik.