Farhan Akhtar recently gave his two cents on how OTT platforms and cinemas can comfortably co-exist, and provided details into the release of the film Toofan.
The director-cum-actor is all set for the release of his upcoming sports drama Toofan.
He worked with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra on this project , with whom he had collaborated before in the production of the blockbuster Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
In an exclusive interview with Pink Villa, Farhan said, “Rakeysh (Omprakash Mehra), Ritesh (Sidhwani) and I, all three of us felt that it’s the right time for the film, and we found an amazing partner in Amazon. They have kind of absolutely pulled out all stops in terms of promoting and marketing the film, and not just in India, because they have presence in over 200 countries and territories. So to get that kind of day and date release with the kind of marketing that they are putting behind it, in today’s environment is not possible.”
The host asked him, “What is an artist most greedy for?”
Farhan replied, “We are most greedy for more people to watch our work. (Now) would you like them to consume it like this or like that, that's a personal thing. I would like people to see it, that’s what I would really like. Also, this is enabling people, currently given the environment, to be within the safety of their homes and watch it.”
In regard to the difference between OTT and cinemas, Farhan added, “It's not a question of replacing the charm of theatres, they are both very different experiences. When you go to a theatre you are serving on some level the social side of you. We are all social animals and we enjoy being around other people - we enjoy community experiences which could even be films or musical concerts.”
In conclusion, “I don’t think theatres are going to go anywhere, and I do hope when things open up again that they do really well.”
