Mumbai: Edstead, in association with Air India Express and Dentsu Sports & Entertainment, has unveiled the trailer for its upcoming six-part docuseries, ‘Voices of the Land’, featuring acclaimed Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav. The series is set to premiere on JioHotstar on July 3, 2026.
The documentary follows Gourav as he journeys through India’s Northeast, exploring stories of heritage, resilience and identity through music, folklore, oral traditions and everyday life. The series features indigenous communities including the Angami of Nagaland, the Sherdukpen of Arunachal Pradesh, the Khasi of Meghalaya, and the Biate and Mising communities of Assam, highlighting their traditions, craftsmanship and cultural practices.
The project reinforces Edstead’s focus on purpose-driven cultural storytelling, with Air India Express serving as the presenting partner and Dentsu Sports & Entertainment as the integration partner.
The collaboration also aligns with Air India Express’ ‘Tales of India’ initiative, which celebrates the country’s cultural diversity through aircraft tail art inspired by regional artistic traditions and festivals. The airline said the initiative reflects its efforts to integrate local culture into the travel experience.
Commenting on the launch, Shekhar Bhattacharjee, Founder at Edstead, said, “As someone from the Northeast, Voices of the Land is a project that’s very close to my heart. With Voices of the Land, our aim was to create a narrative that celebrates culture through the people who live it every day. We’re seeing audiences increasingly gravitate towards authentic, purpose-driven stories, and brands are responding by becoming enablers of meaningful cultural conversations rather than simply communicating products or destinations.”
He further adds, “Air India Express embraced that vision from the outset. Instead of telling audiences where to travel, they chose to spotlight the people, traditions, and identities that make these places extraordinary. That’s what makes this partnership special, it reflects culture marketing at its best, where exploration becomes a gateway to deeper human connection.”
Sharing his experience, Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav said, “Voices of the Land has been one of the most eye-opening experiences for me as a storyteller. I was constantly in awe of the knowledge these communities had of their surroundings; the plants, the animals, and everything the land provides. The series feels especially meaningful because it’s not just about protecting nature, but also preserving the traditions and wisdom of people who have lived in harmony with it for generations. I’m grateful to be part of this documentary and help bring these stories and voices to a larger audience.”
Produced and creatively developed by Charu Budhiraja at Edstead, the series has been crafted as a cinematic factual narrative that seeks to preserve and amplify indigenous voices while encouraging audiences to engage with India’s rich cultural heritage through authentic storytelling.
