HBO Max has acquired the CNN Original Series Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness, premiering Thursday, August 27, 2020. The four-part buddy comedy docuseries follows actor/documentarian/philanthropist Ravi Patel (Meet the Patels) as he travels the world seeking answers surrounding life’s universal questions.
At each stop throughout this comedically heartfelt journey, Patel is joined by a friend or family member, with whom he shares a big conflict or question about life. He travels to Mexico with his parents to discuss retirement and aging; Japan with his wife to explore parenting and gender roles; Korea with his entrepreneur friend to confront their issues with work/life balance; Denmark with his Muslim friend to explore an immigration crisis not unlike ours here in America. Driven by an obsession to constantly learn and grow, the series offers an unfiltered look at Ravi’s personal struggles with each topic and the earnest comparison of social norms domestic and abroad.
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“I’m obsessed with trying new things and getting better. I love fun and I love LOVE, hence the premise of this show,” said Patel. “Each episode truly was a life-changing journey; I learned so much about myself, laughed with some of the most inspiring people in my life, and gained fifteen pounds. With the world in such a crazy place right now, maybe this show is what some of us need, if anything for a laugh or two.”
“We’re very excited to go on this journey around the world with Ravi to provide audiences a unique and thoughtful perspective on life,” added Lizzie Fox, Senior Vice President, Non-fiction Programming, HBO Max. “We believe Ravi’s funny interactions and lessons learned throughout his travels will resonate with viewers, showing that we are truly all connected and have more in common than we think.”
Patel’s documentary work began when he co-directed and starred in Meet the Patels, a festival darling of 2014, and one of the most-watched documentaries of that year. As an actor, he’s appeared in Transformers, Netflix’s Master of None, SXSW’s comedy Come As You Are, and Seth Rogen’s Long Shot. He co-created and stars in Bhaag Beanie Bhaag, premiering this fall on Netflix, and will also be seen in the upcoming film Wonder Woman 1984.
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He is also a board member and investor in a few health, wellness, and food companies, namely This Bar Saves Lives, which donates a meal packet for every granola bar they sell.
Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness is produced by Whalerock Industries. Executive Producers include Lloyd Braun, Chris Cowan, Ravi Patel, Geoffrey Sharp, Amy Entelis, Lyle Gamm, and Lizzie Fox. Co-Executive Produced by Nate Thomas and Matt Short.
