Some real-life journeys demand more than a set. They demand going back to the place where it all happened.
For ‘Waterman’, Kuku TV took that approach quite literally. The biography-inspired microdrama, based on the life of Padma Shri awardee Simon Oraon, was shot in Jharkhand, the land that shaped his journey as the man known as the “Waterman of Jharkhand”. The decision allowed the team to capture the landscape, surroundings and rural environment that form an important part of Simon’s life.
Starring Zohaib Siddiqui as Simon Oraon, the show follows his determination to save his drought-hit village when families begin leaving in search of a better life. Simon refuses to abandon his land and begins looking for a way to retain rainwater and bring it back to the fields.
During the shoot, the team met Simon Oraon himself and spent time speaking with local people, gaining a closer understanding of the man behind the name and the community that witnessed his work. When asked about everything he had achieved, Simon remained characteristically humble, saying, “Kahan, ye sab toh Bhagwan ki den hai.” That interaction gave the actors an opportunity to connect with the person they were bringing to screen rather than relying only on a written portrayal.
The commitment to authenticity also extended to the shoot itself. While recreating the construction of the water channels central to Simon’s journey, the actors took part in digging the nehar themselves. It was not simply a prop or a performance. The physical labour became part of the actors’ preparation for understanding what Simon and the people around him had undertaken.
The landscape played an equally important role. The script itself places Simon’s journey against the dry, rocky terrain of Jharkhand, where he studies the movement of rainwater and begins developing his plan to redirect it towards the fields. In his interview with the Kuku TV team, Simon explained how he brought his community together to begin the work, emphasising the importance of people understanding the need for water and collective participation. As he put it, “Hum khet nahi batayenge, hum manushya batayenge.”
For Kuku TV, Waterman became an opportunity to bring a lesser-known Indian changemaker to a new generation through the accessible format of a microdrama, while retaining a strong connection to the place and people at the heart of his journey.
The result is a microdrama shaped not only by what was written in the script, but by the land where Simon’s journey unfolded, the people who know it, and the experience of physically stepping into his world.
‘Waterman’, starring Zohaib Siddiqui, is now streaming on the Kuku TV app.
About Kuku TV
Kuku TV is India’s leading premium short drama platform, with over 200 million installs, more than 3500 microdramas across diverse genres, including AI-generated shows, available in 7+ languages. MS Dhoni is both an investor in the company and its brand ambassador.
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