Manav Kaul isn’t exactly one for over-the-top celebrations. When the International Emmy nomination for Real Kashmir Football Club dropped, the first reaction from the set wasn’t confetti—it was suspicion. Kaul jokes that director Mahesh Mathai actually asked if it was a prank. “Is this fake? Has someone made this up?” Mathai reportedly asked. Kaul had to pull up the official website to prove it was real. They are, by their own admission, “simple people” who need time to process big wins. But that disbelief is slowly turning into genuine pride.
The series, which also stars Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, is inspired by the real-life founders of the Real Kashmir Football Club, Sandeep Chattoo and Shamim Meraj. It’s a story about two communities finding common ground on the pitch, a theme Kaul says he immediately recognized as uniquely Indian. He recalls reading the script and wondering why no one had tackled this angle before. It’s a narrative about peace and shared passion, set against the complex backdrop of the Valley. For Kaul, the fact that it resonated enough to land an Emmy nod feels like a vindication of a story that deserved to be told.
Shooting in Kashmir was a logistical and emotional win for the team. Kaul praises Mathai for fostering a collaborative environment where everyone, from crew to cast, could pitch ideas. He also highlights the impact of working with local Kashmiri actors performing their own stories. “It was such a kick to see them performing their own story,” Kaul notes. The authenticity added a layer of texture that polished studio productions often miss. Plus, the location itself was a bonus—good infrastructure, welcoming people, and what Kaul calls phenomenal food.
The nomination solves a problem Kaul had with the show’s initial release. While audiences who watched it loved it, it didn’t reach the scale he hoped for. Now, with the International Emmy buzz, he expects a significant spike in viewership. “I think because of this nomination now a lot of people will watch it,” he says. The show is currently streaming on SonyLIV, and for the team, the best part is yet to come: actually getting to celebrate a win that feels as monumental as it looks.