Ranvir Shorey feels Dhurandhar's success won't help indie films: 'They aren't about spectacle, but cinematic excellence'

Ranvir Shorey has said that gatekeeping has increased on streaming platforms and it is becoming increasingly difficult for indepenedent films.

Actor Ranvir Shorey feels that the time is not so great for small, independent films in India. The actor, who is currently promoting his upcoming film, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, said in a recent interview that indie films are losing ground in both theatres and on streaming, with large spectacle-led films dominating conversations on both mediums.

Ranvir Shorey has talked about the state of indie films in India. (PTI)

Ranvir Shorey on indie films in India

Over the years, Ranvir has been one of the most prominent names in Indian independent cinema, with films like Khosla Ka Ghosla, Bheja Fry, and Dasvidaniya. His upcoming film, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, is a crime thriller written and directed by Rajat Kapoor.

In an interview with PTI, Ranvir spoke about the landscape for indie films in the country. “It's not a great time right now for smaller films like our film. Earlier, the theatrical system was difficult for smaller independent films because of the big films and big star system. Then the streaming platforms came, and it became some kind of respite for these kinds of films. But now again, we see even on streaming platforms, the gatekeeping is becoming similar to how it was in the theatrical system,” the actor said.

‘Don't see how Dhurandhar will help small films’

The success of big films in the recent months, notably Aditya Dhar's two-part spy saga Dhurandhar, has led many to speculate that it can help revive the film industry. But Ranvir isn't convinced. “I really don't see how the success of a film like Dhurandhar will help films like 'Sohrab Handa' because these films are not about spectacle. They are about characters, about cinematic excellence without the scale, the grandeur and the budget. One hopes that, just as the industry evolved from theatrical to television to streaming, the internet itself will eventually offer solutions for this as well,” he said.

Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, stars Ranveer Singh in the lead, along with Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Sanjay Dutt. The first part, released in December, grossed ₹1300 crore worldwide. The sequel, which was released in March, has already grossed over ₹1600 crore.

Ranvir Shorey's upcoming work

The actor is currently starring in Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, which is streaming on ZEE5. The film is a mystery thriller about a couple's perfect anniversary party at an old mansion that goes awry when the most hated guest, Sohrab Handa, is found murdered.

Besides Ranvir, the movie features Vinay Pathak, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Koel Puri, Sadia Siddiqui, and Chandrachoor Rai. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Mithya Talkies.