Past lives

Wrapped in mist, the mountains of Sikkim hold an otherworldly charm, where familiar places can stir inexplicable memories and silence can conceal stories waiting to resurface. It is against this evocative landscape that Apurnata – The Quest for Love — a series now streaming on Fridaay OTT — unfolds a tale of love and loss.

Written and directed by Rishav Datta, the series follows Shawon, an introverted teenager from Calcutta who is haunted by recurring nightmares of falling from a cliff. His life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Churni, a bright and free-spirited girl from Sikkim, and visits her hometown. Amid the picturesque mountain landscape, Shawon experiences an inexplicable sense of familiarity with Churni’s home and family, especially her mother, Nandini, who begins to suspect that Shawon shares an extraordinary connection with her long-lost lover, Ayan, who died under mysterious circumstances decades ago.

As unexplained memories begin to surface, Shawon finds himself caught between his growing feelings for Churni and the possibility of a past life. Blurring the boundaries between memory and mystery, Apurnata – The Quest for Love explores whether certain connections can transcend time, leaving behind emotions and questions that remain unresolved.

Presented by Rupa Datta and produced by Camellia Productions Pvt. Ltd., the series features Rishav Basu, Bidipta Chakraborty, Ankita Das, Swaralipi Ghose, Durbar Sharma, Sankar Debnath, Minasree Sarkar, among others.

While the series delves into haunting mysteries and unfinished emotions on screen, the experience of filming in Sikkim left the cast with memories of a different kind. Recalling the shoot, Ankita Das spoke about the breathtaking surroundings, an unexpected spell of extreme weather and the camaraderie that developed among the team during their stay. “We shot this series in a beautiful location in Sikkim, and honestly, the place was so breathtaking that sometimes we didn’t even feel like shooting! We just wanted to explore and enjoy the surroundings. One day, we experienced such a heavy hailstorm that the entire homestay turned white, almost like snowfall! We also had some spooky experiences,” she shared.

Beyond the dramatic weather and eerie moments, it was the time spent together after pack-up that made the experience particularly memorable. The cast found its own rhythm away from the cameras, gathering for music, poetry and conversations that stretched into the evening. “But the best part was our daily adda after pack-up, with guitar, songs, and poetry. We would wait the entire day for the shoot to get over just to join that adda! We stayed together for around 10 days, and it genuinely felt like a family trip. We had so much fun working together, and the bond we built made the whole experience truly special,” Ankita added.

Set against the misty mountains of Sikkim, Apurnata – The Quest for Love brings together romance, mystery and the possibility of a bond that reaches beyond a single lifetime.