It's an Indian story: Manav Kaul explains why Real Kashmir FC's Emmy nod matters

Actor Manav Kaul was at a Paris airport, waiting to board his flight back to India, when he received the news that his series Real Kashmir Football Club had been nominated for an International Emmy. His first reaction was disbelief. In fact, Kaul and the entire team were so stunned that they wondered if someone was playing a prank on them.

The series has been nominated in the Drama Series category at the International Emmy Awards. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Kaul recalled the moment the news came in and spoke about why the nomination holds a deeper significance for him — and why he believes the series represents the India he grew up in.

“I was in Paris, taking my flight back to India, and the entire team was on call. We were discussing whether it was real and not someone pranking us,” he said.

For the 49-year-old actor, however, the nomination is about far more than awards recognition. The actor sees Real Kashmir Football Club as a story that represents the India he believes in, one where people from different communities come together through something as simple and universal as football.

“The best part is that the film is about India. It’s like two communities coming together and making a team and making peace in the Valley, or in the region, or anywhere. So this is a very Indian story. This is how India is. We all come together, we play, we all celebrate everything together. This is what my India is,” he said.

For the actor, that was precisely what made the series important. Real Kashmir Football Club is inspired by the true story of the football club that emerged from Kashmir and follows two men who set out to build a professional team by bringing together young players from across the Valley. The series uses football as a way to tell a larger story about community, hope, and resilience.

“I think it’s a great representation of the India I grew up in, which I believe in, which I feel is very important. So, that’s why the series was so important for me. That we should consider the story of Kashmir, the story of India,” Kaul added.

And now, with the Emmy jury recognising the series on an international stage, Kaul felt that story has found the audience it deserved. “This is how this happened and resonated with the Emmy jury, who saw it and said, ‘Okay, this is it, we will pick this.’”

The Tumhari Sulu actor concluded and called it a “teamwork” while praising the writer, director, and producer for believing in the project.

“I used to watch the Emmys, and now your own series is part of it; it's just very surreal. And it's also long overdue, given the way Simaab Hashmi has written about the script. Mahesh Mathai has directed it, and the way Kilian Kerwin has produced it, it was such a collaborative effort,” he concluded.

Real Kashmir Football Club follows an unlikely sporting journey that goes beyond football. The show explores how a community’s love for the game became a source of connection and hope, while its characters continue to grapple with their own personal histories and struggles.

The series is inspired by businessman Sandeep Chattoo and journalist Shamim Meraj, the founders of the real-life Real Kashmir Football Club. The show juxtaposes the Valley’s deep love for football with the lingering pain of its people, following characters who navigate their personal struggles while trying to build something meaningful for their community.

Also starring Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, it is currently streaming on SonyLIV.