‘No one thinks of shooting small because a film will go on OTT’

The screen for OTT projects might be way smaller than compared to a cinema hall, but that doesn’t affect the scale and scope of stories being churned out on digital platforms, feels actor Jimmy Sheirgill.

In fact, the cinematic ethos remains the essence of web content, which reflects in the projects releasing in that space. “When people shoot films for a web platform, they don’t think, ‘Since it is coming on a streaming platform let me make it small’. They try to make a film like a film. And a good web series like a good web series,” he points out.

And it’s the key to survival in showbiz. “It’s not going to survive with substandard stuff. You have to show people the scale your story requires,” says the 50-year-old.

Sheirgill has always been one to reinvent, be it ditching his lover boy image in the initial phase of his career, or by keeping a distance from masala films. He has explored the OTT space as well, with projects such as Your Honor (2020) and Collar Bomb (2021). “For instance Collar Bomb, the first film I shot in the pandemic, is filmed in a big way”. He credits the pandemic for helping audiences discover a “different form” of stories. “I know many people who were true to theatres, but started watching web shows. Now, they are big fans of that kind of work,” he adds.

You have to be true to the art. You have to invest in the visuals and show people the scale that your story requires. JIMMY SHEIRGILL, Actor

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PHOTO: RAAJESSH KASHYAP/HT