‘Both theatres and OTTs will have ups and downs’

Adil Hussain was among the first crop of Indian actors — in the middle of the pandemic in 2020 — to venture out and shoot a project, BellBottom. The movie saw a theatrical release earlier this year and is now available on an OTT platform.

Ask him what he feels about the frequent debate surrounding the new-age OTT vs the traditional theatre setup and the 57-year-old says, “Both will have their ups and downs. On OTT, you can see a film at your own time, on a hand-held device, at your own desire. It has its own benefits and fun quotient. You can choose the platform and a film of choice and watch it at your own pace.” He calls this a “big connection” between the audience and the content.

However, he also admits that the big screen experience is nothing short of a celebration. “Seeing a film on the big screen, the magic of it… the rituals - the choosing of clothes to venture out, etc. it is almost like a festival. I hope both will survive. It is a slow start for theatres. But, hopefully, people will go out while maintaining Covid protocols.”

From the decision to film it during the pandemic to being one of the first big-budget movies that opted for a theatrical release, Hussain calls BellBottom his “riskiest film” so far. He says, “Despite all precautions during its filming... the question — ‘Am I making

It’s a slow start for theatres. But, hopefully, people will go out while maintaining Covid protocols.

ADIL HUSSAIN,

the right decision?’ — was constantly running at the back of my mind. But, we cannot live in fear and we have to live with Covid. We don’t have to do things if we don’t want to. Keep yourself safe, it’s more important.”

PHOTO: AMAL KS/HT