Bollywood goes digital

For a short film, I don’t have to worry about the critics and about how much money they make IMTIAZ ALI, FILMMAKER

With the internet becoming a priority in the field of entertainment, an increasing number of actors are opting to be part of short films and music videos on the web. Recent examples include actor Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani’s music video Befikra, Huma Qureshi and Vidyut Jamwal’s Dillagi and Saqib Saleem and Taapsee Pannu’s Tum ho toh Lagta hai. Short films such as Manoj BajpayeeRadhika Apte starrer Kriti and Ali Fazal-Lauren Gottlieb starrer Triya Charitra are also doing quite well.

Filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar says that not much money is spent making these but their popularity is immense. “The internet has provided budding musicians a platform to showcase their talent. Many of these songs are picked up by music labels and films. To add to it, actors are being cast in these, which has only made the medium grow,” he says.

The audience’s attention spans have reduced and that is why short films work, says Lauren Gottlieb. “With the digital world gaining prominence, there are more forms of entertainment. People’s attention spans have shortened. So a short film has the potential of being seen by the masses,” she says.

Ali Fazal says, “The web opens up a canvas for an actor to not mingle with the marketing manipulations of films in theatres. I have been in positions when actors wear a whole new persona to sell their product. The web does not need that validation. It’s an instant connect with the world. One click is enough to tell you if you’re good or bad. But if my feature film is up for release in theatres, I already feel the pressure.”

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who made a short film India Tomorrow, says that these films help him express his creative side. “For a short film, I don’t have to worry about the critics and about how much money they make. They go beyond censorship and I can actually play around with ideas,” he told us earlier.

However, the internet as a medium cannot replace cinema, says trade analyst Atul Mohan. “These short films and music videos are doing well online because of actors’ popularity in films. Without them, it would all mean nothing,” he says.

Clockwise from top: Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani in Bekifra, Ali Fazal, Manoj Bajpayee and Radhika Apte

Vidyut Jamwal and Huma Qureshi in Dillagi