Anil Kapoor on the OTT vs theatre debate: I was convinced of the potential of OTT platforms much before the Covid-19 crisis

Actor Anil Kapoor, who stepped out after months to work, talks to us about the different experience. On several films opting for OTT releases, he says “it’s reassuring to see a lot of other producers release their movies digitally now”, since he himself has a web film up for release.

Actors sure sound excited to step out and get back to work. While some are still a bit apprehensive given the pandemic, Anil Kapoor certainly isn’t one of them. He got a chance to complete the dubbing for his upcoming web film AK vs AK, and admits experiencing the new normal was “interesting”.

Actor Anil Kapoor stepped out to dub for his next release, web film AK vs AK recently, his first time working in months.

The 63-year-old tells us, “We had to be more mindful of our safety and the safety of the people around us. From wearing protective gear to maintaining social distance, it was a working environment that none of us have ever seen before. And yet, it was refreshing to come back to work to find that everyone was just as motivated and committed to making these stories come alive!”

Kapoor sees it as a great sign that the Maharashtra government is cautiously allowing shoots for all formats to begin again, albeit with strict guidelines in place. “It proves what experts everywhere have been telling us all along...that we need to make safety procedures and building immunity a part of our daily lives. Covid is not going away anytime soon so it’s imperative that we adjust our expectations of what’s considered ‘normal’ to include these basic but crucial precautions,” he says.

As someone who has seen the industry change over the years, we ask Kapoor what he feels about this. He quips, “We’re all facing some really tough decisions in these uncertain times, but at the end of the day, it’s up to those invested in the film to take a call that will be best for the film.”

The actor, however, maintains that he was convinced of the potential digital platforms had “even before Covid-19 came into the picture”. He explains, “My next film was always going to have a digital release because we were all convinced of the power and reach of digital platforms, even when many warned us against taking such a huge risk. I can’t deny that it’s reassuring to see a lot of other producers release their movies digitally now, because it validates something I have believed in for a long time now. That being said, when the theatres do open (and are deemed safe), we are bound to see a whole lot of people flock to the medium that they know and love.”

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