{ "id": "ep74fnsnqk", "slug": "escaype-live", "title": "Escaype Live", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "label": "Indian and South Asian web series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries.yr-2021-2025", "label": "Premiered 2021 to 2025", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries.yr-2021-2025" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "India · 2021 and later: Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021", "label": "India · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Escaype Live is a 2022 Hindi drama thriller web series on Disney+ Hotstar, created and directed by Siddharth Kumar Tewary, about six people competing for a 3-crore prize on a fictional social media app; nine episodes, mixed reviews, IMDb 7.5.", "snippet": "Escaype Live is a 2022 Hindi drama thriller web series on Disney+ Hotstar, created and directed by Siddharth Kumar Tewary, about six people competing for a 3-crore prize on a fictional social media app; nine episodes, mixed reviews, IMDb 7.5.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries.yr-2021-2025", "markdown": "# Escaype Live\n\n**Escaype Live** is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language drama thriller web series created and directed by Siddharth Kumar Tewary for Disney+ Hotstar. It follows six ordinary people competing for fame and a prize of three crore rupees on a fictional video-streaming social media app, also called Escaype Live, and examines how the pursuit of viral celebrity blurs the line between online performance and real life.[1](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26388/escaype-live/) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Premiere | 20 May 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar; seven of nine episodes released that day, the final two on 27 May 2022[3](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/escaype-live-web-series-108085) |\n| Format | One season of nine episodes, roughly 40 to 50 minutes each, rated A (adults only)[3](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/escaype-live-web-series-108085) |\n| Premise | Users of a TikTok-like app compete in a contest worth ₹30 million (₹3 crore), awarded to whoever accumulates the most diamonds from viewers[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live) • [4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success) |\n| Creator | Siddharth Kumar Tewary, who also wrote the series with Jaya Misra[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kImGw8lE) |\n| Lead cast | Siddharth, Jaaved Jaaferi, Shweta Tripathi, Swastika Mukherjee, Plabita Borthakur, Sumedh Mudgalkar, Ritvik Sahore, Rohit Chandel, Aadyaa Sharma[1](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26388/escaype-live/) |\n| IMDb rating | 7.5/10[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15128122/ratings/) |\n| Where to stream | JioHotstar in India; also available on Hulu in the United States[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live) • [7](https://www.hulu.com/hotstar) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise\n\nThe story is set in motion when a Chinese-owned video-sharing app launches a contest in India: whoever collects the most diamonds, a reward bestowed by viewers, within about a month wins three crore rupees. Scroll.in's review describes contestants having 32 days to amass diamonds, while The Times of India describes the contest as lasting 30 days.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms) The app's rules forbid nudity, drugs, alcohol, and smoking, yet the competition pushes contestants toward increasingly extreme content.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/escaype-live-review-hotstar-show-7925692/)\n\nThe series runs two parallel tracks: the app's management, driven by profit and answerable to Chinese owners, and the content creators, who risk their safety and dignity for the prize. As the contest progresses, the boundaries between the contestants' real identities and their online personas erode.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success)\n\n### Characters and cast\n\nThe ensemble pairs app executives with the top content creators:[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live)\n\n- **Krishna** (Siddharth), a conservative middle-class software engineer who joins Escaype Live as a content moderator and becomes the story's voice of conscience, eventually deciding to bring the app down.[10](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/escaype-live-review/20220523.htm)\n- **Ravi Gupta** ([Jaaved Jaaferi](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaaved-jaaferi)), the app's CEO, and **Gia Bose** (Waluscha D'Souza), his team leader, who treat users as commodities.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms)\n- **Dancing Rani** (Aadyaa Sharma), a girl from [Jaisalmer](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaisalmer) pushed by her ambitious mother and uncle to perform raunchy dance numbers.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success)\n- **Hina, known online as Fetish Girl** ([Plabita Borthakur](https://www.edgepedia.org/plabita-borthakur)), a young woman from Northeast India who faces discrimination in daily life and plays to sexual fetishes on the app to support her family.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms)\n- **Aamcha Spider** (Ritvik Sahore), a parkour enthusiast and washerman's son in Mumbai who wants to escape slum life.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success)\n- **Darkie** (Sumedh Mudgalkar), an unhinged prankster who is the contest's leading contestant.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success)\n- **Rajkumar, performing as Meena Kumari** (Rohit Chandel), a transgender singer who hides their identity out of fear of social rejection; Shweta Tripathi plays Sunaina, who encourages Rajkumar to accept himself late in the story.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms)\n- **Mala** (Swastika Mukherjee), Hina's boss.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live)\n\nThe supporting cast also includes [Sharat Saxena](https://www.edgepedia.org/sharat-saxena), Sanjay Narvekar, Smita Tambe, Arundhati Nag, Aditi Govitrikar, Aakanksha Singh, Geetika Vidya Ohlyan, Jagjeet Sandhu, and Mallika Singh.[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kImGw8lE)\n\n## Production\n\nSiddharth Kumar Tewary created and directed the series and wrote it with Jaya Misra; dialogue writers were assigned by character and city, with Vinod Sharma writing for Dance Rani, Amol Surve for Aamcha Spider, and Ranveer Pratap Singh for Meenakumari and Sunaina, a choice the makers described as adding regional authenticity.[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kImGw8lE) • [11](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2022/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2022-05-03.pdf) One Life Studios produced, with Gayatri Gill, Rahul Kumar Tewary, and Siddharth Kumar Tewary as producers; Advait Nemlekar composed the music and background score, Aseem Mishra and Murzy Pagdiwala handled cinematography, and Chandan Arora edited.[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kImGw8lE) • [1](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26388/escaype-live/)\n\nTewary said the project took him out of his comfort zone, since his earlier work was in mythological and period dramas. The official trailer, published on 26 April 2022, had drawn about 19.6 million views on YouTube by the time of retrieval.[12](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/finding-fame-via-social-media-407091/) • [5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kImGw8lE)\n\n## Reception\n\nCritical response was divided. [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) gave the series 1 out of 5, calling it a slog that talks down to its audience and comparing its premise unfavorably to [Black Mirror](https://www.edgepedia.org/black-mirror) and the 2016 film Nerve.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/escaype-live-review-hotstar-show-7925692/) The Times of India rated it 3 out of 5, praising Aadyaa Sharma, Plabita Borthakur, and [Rohit Chandel](https://www.edgepedia.org/rohit-chandel) while noting that the crowded plot juggles more stories than viewers may connect with.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms) Scroll.in called it a cautionary tale that captures the contrast between the world inside a phone screen and the world outside, but judged that the strong set-up and social commentary are lost along the way.[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success) Hindustan Times found the concept promising but the execution loud and unsubtle, while a Moneycontrol review defended the show's melodrama as fitting its subject of underprivileged people doing loud things to become stars.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/escaype-live-review-this-exhausting-siddharth-jaaved-jaaferi-show-wastes-promising-concept-by-trying-to-do-too-much-101653056836836-amp.html) • [14](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/review-escaype-live-has-its-flaws-but-being-over-the-top-is-not-one-of-them-8552621.html)\n\nOn IMDb the series holds a weighted rating of 7.5 out of 10.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15128122/ratings/) Ormax Media's audience estimates placed Escaype Live at 16.1 million viewers, ninth among the most-watched Hindi streaming shows in the first half of 2022, behind titles such as [Rudra: The Edge of Darkness](https://www.edgepedia.org/rudra-the-edge-of-darkness) (35.2 million) and Aashram S3 (34.3 million).[15](https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/download-file.php?key=stream-time-the-best-of-2022-so-far&type=pdf)\n\n## Availability\n\nThe series streams on JioHotstar in India, with subscription and free-with-ads options, and is among the Hotstar Specials titles carried on Hulu for United States viewers.[2](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live) • [7](https://www.hulu.com/hotstar)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Escaype Live Hindi Web Series, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26388/escaype-live/)\n2. [Escaype Live - watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/escaype-live)\n3. [Escaype Live Web Series: Release Date, Cast, Episodes, Gadgets 360](https://www.gadgets360.com/entertainment/escaype-live-web-series-108085)\n4. ['Escaype Live' review: A cautionary tale of the desperate pursuit of fame and success, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/reel/1024266/escaype-live-review-a-cautionary-tale-of-the-desperate-pursuit-of-fame-and-success)\n5. [Hotstar Specials Escaype Live | Official Trailer, YouTube (JioHotstar)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO8kImGw8lE)\n6. [Escaype Live - Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15128122/ratings/)\n7. [Hotstar Has a New Home, Hulu](https://www.hulu.com/hotstar)\n8. [Escaype Live Season 1 Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/escaype-live/escaype-live-season-1/seasonreview/91648989.cms)\n9. [Escaype Live review, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/escaype-live-review-hotstar-show-7925692/)\n10. [Escaype Live Review, Rediff.com](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/escaype-live-review/20220523.htm)\n11. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad edition, 3 May 2022](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2022/epaper/may/hyderabad-english-edition-2022-05-03.pdf)\n12. [Finding 'fame' via social media, The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/finding-fame-via-social-media-407091/)\n13. [Escaype Live review, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/escaype-live-review-this-exhausting-siddharth-jaaved-jaaferi-show-wastes-promising-concept-by-trying-to-do-too-much-101653056836836-amp.html)\n14. [Review: 'Escaype Live' has its flaws, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/entertainment/review-escaype-live-has-its-flaws-but-being-over-the-top-is-not-one-of-them-8552621.html)\n15. [Stream Time: The Best of 2022 So Far, Ormax Media](https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/stories/download-file.php?key=stream-time-the-best-of-2022-so-far&type=pdf)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Indian and South Asian web series › Premiered 2021 to 2025*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Escaype Live\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Escaype Live](https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live](https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Escaype Live\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/escaype-live. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Escaype Live is a 2022 Hindi drama thriller web series on Disney+ Hotstar, created and directed by Siddharth Kumar Tewary, about six people competing for a 3-crore prize on a fictional social media app; nine episodes, mixed reviews, IMDb 7.5." }