Deepika Chikhalia Launches STAGE Web Series 'Mahashmashan' in Mumbai
Veteran actress, remembered as Sita from Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, performed the muhurat of the 15-episode series set in cremation grounds; shoot begins late May.
“Deepika Chikhalia Launches STAGE Web Series 'Mahashmashan' in Mumbai”
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25 May 2026
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Deepika Chikhalia Launches STAGE Web Series 'Mahashmashan' in Mumbai
MUMBAI: Veteran television actress Deepika Chikhalia on Sunday performed the muhurat ceremony of the upcoming Hindi web series Mahashmashan, a 15-episode STAGE Original scheduled to premiere in the last week of June. The launch event, attended by the show's writer-producer Dheeraj Mishra, producer Ishika Mishra, director Raja Randeep Giri, and members of the STAGE OTT team, was held in Mumbai.
The project marks another addition to the growing slate of regional and Hindi-heartland content commissioned by streaming platform STAGE, which has positioned itself around dialect-led storytelling targeted at viewers from Haryana, Rajasthan, and the wider Hindi belt.
A Title Built Around Curiosity
Chikhalia, widely identified with her portrayal of Sita in the 1987–88 television series Ramayan, told reporters at the venue that the title of the series itself was designed to provoke audience interest. "The title creates curiosity and raises expectations for the series," she said, extending her best wishes to the cast and crew. She also commended STAGE for investing in regional storytelling.
The actress, who has periodically returned to public-facing events linked to mythological and emotionally weighted projects, did not appear in an acting capacity for the series.
Writer and producer Dheeraj Mishra said the narrative is built around India's shmashan ghats, or cremation grounds, and the lives of the people who work in and around them. "The story revolves around the emotional struggles and unseen realities faced by the people associated with cremation grounds," Mishra said at the event.
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The setting places Mahashmashan within a small but expanding category of Indian streaming dramas exploring death-adjacent professions, an area previously touched upon by titles such as Aghori and segments of the Tumbbad universe in feature film form.
Producer Ishika Mishra and director Raja Randeep Giri confirmed that principal photography is scheduled to begin in Mumbai by the end of May 2026. The ensemble cast includes Kunal Singh Rajput, Golu Tiwari, Prashant Rai, Pari Singh, Gaurav Upadhyay, and Zeeshan Khan in key roles.
Representatives from STAGE OTT, including Amar Dubey and Dharmendra Singh, attended the muhurat. The platform has not yet released an official trailer, poster, or confirmed streaming date, though the production team indicated a late-June 2026 premiere window.
Context: STAGE's Regional Content Push
STAGE has built its subscriber base primarily on Haryanvi and Rajasthani originals, and Mahashmashan signals a continued push into Hindi-language dramatic content with crossover appeal. The platform has not publicly disclosed budget figures or episode runtimes for the series.
Industry observers have noted that streaming platforms focused on tier-2 and tier-3 audiences have increasingly invested in genre-led storytelling, including supernatural, crime, and socially rooted dramas, to differentiate from larger competitors.
What Comes Next
With shooting set to commence within days, post-production timelines will be tight if the platform is to meet its stated late-June premiere window. STAGE is expected to roll out promotional material in the weeks leading up to release. This story will be updated as further details, including the official premiere date and first-look assets, are confirmed.
Junja Choudhary serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Sangri Today. A dynamic news personality and rigorous fact-checker, he brings more than 7 years of professional experience in print and digital media. His editorial leadership is defined by a strong commitment to journalistic ethics, truth-seeking, and delivering well-researched, balanced reporting on critical issues.
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