Sushant’s death has been turned into a circus: Sanjana
Actor Sanjana Sanghi finds herself in a “weird, numb space” after losing her “partner-in-crime”, actor Sushant Singh Rajput, with whom she stars in the Bollywood remake of the Hollywood film, The Fault in Our Stars (2014).
“It’s not possible for a human being to feel such extremes of both happiness and gratitude for the fact that it’s my debut as a lead coming out. But the grief and shock of losing my partner-in-crime has left me in this weird, numb space. I’m trying to do my best to fulfil my commitments,” says the actor, who is “taking each day as it comes”.
Sanghi, 23, recounts talking to Rajput quite often. She also says everyone was happy with their film getting an OTT release. “You set out to make a theatrical film…you aren’t okay with things, but as humans, you adapt. With this OTT release, we can’t think of a better way to give a tribute to Sushant,” she adds.
Rajput’s demise has stirred numerous debates in the industry. A couple of films have also been announced, inspired by the late actor’s life. Sanghi is, however, saddened seeing all this. “I heard about the way in which my parents grew up, surrounded by far more patience, integrity and honesty than we are now. It really saddens me to see any circus being created out of such a tragedy. I urge people to give time and respect to all reeling from this loss,” she asserts.
Rajput’s untimely death also led to speculations that he may have been under pressure or going through depression. Given that she spent a lot of time with him, we ask if she ever felt her co-star was grappling with mental health issues. Sanghi feels she is “nobody to comment” on the matter as she’s not a psychologist, but is quick to add, “I don’t equate being upset on a particular day to being mentally unstable in general. I’m upset on many days. All I know is I was working with a passionate, sincere artiste who’d do his job better than what was expected out of him. He was always there. Maybe if I knew him in more personal capacities, I could have answered this.”
Hollywood stars Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost are rethinking their wedding plans amid the Covid-19 pandemic, reports etonline.com.
Asked on Andy Cohen Live if the pandemic made them rethink how they will get married, Jost said: “Of course. We don’t even know what’s legally allowed. This is not the time to get all your elderly, at-risk relatives together, all in one big group ... who knows!”
Jost went on to say that, at the moment, they really don’t know “when that moment will be” that they can actually have a wedding ceremony. Jost and Johansson got engaged in May 2019.
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What’s a Bollywood release without the quintessential clash at the box office, where two or more films vie for the audience’s attention? And there were many face-offs lined up for the year, but the Covid19 pandemic changed the equation as many films opted for the OTT route. Taking the box-office clashes with them.
But it’s no longer a worry for producers and exhibitors, as they don’t have to stress about getting enough screens in theatres. On July 31 for instance, three films are dropping on different OTT platforms — Shakuntala Devi, Raat Akeli Hai and Lootcase.
“It has been a period of disruptive thinking, we had to pull back and take some calls. I feel, in many ways, we need to learn to live in an environment where competition and clutter will exist. The good news here is that the universe of eyeballs is so large and the content offering so diverse, there is enough room for everyone,” says Vikram Malhotra, producer of Shakuntala Devi.
Director Tigmanshu Dhulia, whose film Yaara is releasing on July 30, on another OTT platform, says, “I don’t think clashes are a concern anymore because there are so many platforms. The shelf life of a project on the web is very long. Aisa nahi hai ki pehle din kisne dekha.”
Even with these clashes, it’s a win-win situation for everyone, feels film trade expert Girish Johar. He feels
TIGMANSHU DHULIA, FILMMAKER unlike earlier, when ‘smaller’ films would be given bad show timings and theatres, with the OTT platforms they’ve got a level playing field. “It’s been a challenge for smaller films to get screens. Even when they did, they’d be consumed by the big releases. This is a blessing in disguise for all such films. They don’t have to spend anything on promotions and marketing either,” he shares.
Flexibility of OTT platforms is what will make clashes redundant despite films releasing on the same dates, feels producer Anand Pandit, adding that rather than the clash of films, it might be a
ANAND PANDIT, PRODUCER clash of the OTT platforms.
“If a films ends at 9pm on one platform, I can go to the other at 9.05pm and start another film. Clashes aren’t going to be how they used to be. Each film will have its breathing space. If I’ve subscribed to three platforms, I’ll watch all three, there’ll be no ‘either or’, like it used to be in theatres due to the tight budget every family has,” says Pandit, whose production, The Big Bull, is also headed for an OTT release.
So, how are release dates of the films decided on the web? A source from an OTT platform says weekend slots are most popular. “It’s decided mutually by the filmmakers and platforms. The lockdown is still there, but weekends are considered to be relatively free days when people have the time to watch something. Hence, most films are releasing on Fridays, resulting in so-called clashes,” he informs.