Nawazuddin Siddiqui slams ‘fake content-driven films’ for being frauds, is ‘scared’ about future of OTT in India

Nawazuddin Siddiqui slammed ‘fake content-driven films’ for fraudulently selling the same old formula, and said that he is ‘scared’ about the direction in which the Indian streaming industry is headed.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who became a poster child for Indian streaming with projects such as Sacred Games and Serious Men, said that he is ‘scared’ for the future of the OTT space because the same old ‘money-minded’ producers are taking control.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a still from Sacred Games.

He said that these people have no clue about good content, and are selling the same formula repeatedly. Nawaz said that he hopes people such as these don't take control of the streaming industry.

He told Bollywood Hungama, “Frankly speaking, I feel they had a great start, no doubt, but the problems arise when established producers enter the fray. For them, it's a business. The way in which Netflix – and other OTTs – helped new directors and actors in India and gave them world recognition, I think it's important for this to continue. The shifting that is happening now is a little scary. These big producers can only think of business, they don't have any idea about art.”

Asked why it scares him, Nawaz said, “Because they'll bring the same old formula that they've been repeating for decades. There's a hero and a heroine and a villain, both the hero and the heroine are good-looking, and zero story. God forbid those people enter this arena. That's my biggest problem; formula. We've been doing it for 30-40 years and still aren't bored of it. This is an example of our intelligence.”

The actor said that he doesn't have a problem with ‘commercial cinema’, but has no patience for ‘fake content-driven’ films. He described them as ones that have ‘a dadi, a behen, a family, a shaadi’, and said that they use the same formula but pretend to be content-driven.