MOVIE GOING EXPERIENCE WILL NOT FADE AWAY" ANUSHKA

Says actor-producer Anushka Sharma whose debut web production, Paatal Lok, is drawing accolades from both audience and critics. Sharma feels cinema and OTT platforms will co-exist together.

Actress-producer Anushka Sharma is over the moon with the raving reviews her debut web production Paatal Lok has received. She doesn’t just want to credit any particular thing and says it’s everyone’s victory together.

“When we were making the show we weren’t thinking of it to be the best show, we were just trying to tell a story and we just wanted to stay true to the story. Today when the show is getting appreciated on these lines it makes us feel very happy that it is being called the best show that India has ever produced,” said Anushka. As soon as the show aired, Anushka received a barrage of messages from friends and colleagues. “Today, when we get calls from so many of our colleagues and filmmakers that they felt inspired after watching Paatal Lok, it makes us feel that we have done something that was truly inspiring,” Anushka said.

“It is because of the team that worked on the project. It is because of the writing, the actors, the technicians who worked on it – everybody coming together and being on the same page. That is the reason the show is being called what it is being called. As a producer that’s what makes me feel the happiest that every aspect of the show that you have backed has got its appreciation.” Anushka, who has already bankrolled ventures like NH10, Phillauri and Pari, says the reason she stepped into the exciting world of digital content is because the space allows filmmakers to express freely.

“I see the OTT platform as an opportunity for filmmakers and groups of individuals to be able to touch upon stories and ideas you can explore in a longer format with the show, which you can’t do with the film. Sometimes you want to flesh out details of a story, and introduce every aspect of it in a way that is relevant and interesting to an audience, something which is different. It also allows you to express yourself freely, because of the nature of the platform and its audience,” Anushka added.

With interesting content coming on the web space, does she see the digital space taking over the regular cinema going experience?

“I believe that the OTT platforms are a great introduction to us because it enables us to say a story in an in a fleshed-out manner. One can really get in the many aspects of the story and touch upon various topics within the framework of one story,” said the actress. Liberty is one thing that the platform offers, she feels. At the same time, she says that the movie-going experience will not fade away.

“We Indians as people – are culturally people who love to celebrate together. We love doing things as part of a community. So we will always be interested in doing something collectively as a community. It (the big screen) is an outing experience with family and I don’t see that going out. We are not independent as people, that’s just who we are culturally. I think movies will always continue to be,” she said. Anushka feels that the theatregoing experience and OTT platforms will co-exist together.