Anil Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Arjun Rampal: Bollywood stars queue up for web original films

For many mainstream Bollywood actors, it’s not just 70mm screen that matters but they are all experimenting with web original films now. We talk to the actor about what lures them to OTT platforms.

The big screen experience is all set to be back with a bang, or at least that’s what the trade has been hoping for since the past 10 months.And the two big questions on everyone’s mind are: Whether the charm of theatres will fade away or will OTT platforms dominate? In such a scenario, actors themselves are pretty clear that they will act, whatever the medium, small or the 70mm screen.

Anil Kapoor starred in the web film AK vs AK, while Arjun Rampal was a part of Nail Polish.

Apart from taking up web shows, a lot of actors have opted to even star in films that are originally meant for online streaming platforms. They are therefore not apprehensive about the screen size anymore.

Anil Kapoor set the ball rolling with AK vs AK, a thriller which saw him alongside filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Having been a big screen hero for 40 years, he says, “When Vikram (Vikramaditya Motwane, director) came to me with the script, I felt it is ideal. I felt that given the time, it was the right thing to do. Releasing on an OTT platform was the best decision that we took. The wonderful way in which it was promoted, marketed, it was top 10 in more than 50 countries.”

A still from AK vs AK

More actors have followed suit. Manoj Bajpayee recently announced his web film, Despatch, based on crime journalism. Sonakshi Sinha, who for the past 10 years has done all kinds of films, right from masala potboilers to a period drama, will not only make her web series debut soon, but also star in a web film Bulbull Tarang directed by Shree Narayan Singh. She says she doesn’t see this film as anything different from what she has been doing till now.

“I honestly loved the script. With the uncertainty around theatres until now, a lot of people were moving in this direction. I am more than happy to do it. Even films that we had shot for, in 2020 so many of them released on OTT platforms. I don’t see this as any different than that, which is why I said yes. I wanted to work with Shree, he makes such wonderful films with social messages. This film is also like that,” tells us the 33-year-old.

Arjun Rampal in a still from Nail Polish

Trade experts believe that all this doesn’t mean that these actors will stop focusing on big screen films altogether. Atul Mohan says, “The big screens are where they form their fame and stardom. As an artist, they want to explore all avenues, if they are happy with the content. Maybe it cannot be made for the big screen, it’s not viable, or needs a longer duration to tell the story. Also, if they are getting good money, that’s important. We have seen big artistes take the route of TV as well, it didn’t mean they are going to quit the big screen, like Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan.”

He hasn’t had a theatrical release in a couple of years now, but Arjun Rampal couldn’t give up the chance to star in Nail Polish, a legal drama which opened to good reviews.

The actor says one gets the chance to explore different things on OTT platforms. “You get a lot of freedom on these platforms, and you can explore only that much I believe, as much as the director and the team allow you to go. I want to be known for doing work which is not conventional,” he quips.

Interact with the author on Twitter/ @RishabhSuri02