Actor-Director Nandita Das Feels Pity That 'Smaller' Films Not Get Enough Releases In Cinemas

Nandita Das said that maintaining a theatre has become fairly tough with the introduction of OTT platforms.

Nandita Das has starred in over 40 films and directed films including ‘Manto’ and ‘Zwigato,’ among others.

Source : Instagram/@nanditadasofficial

New Delhi: Actor-director Nandita Das expresses regret that "smaller" films are not receiving more theatrical releases, despite the fact that her most recent film, ‘Zwigato,’ has been included in the permanent collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences library. Das believes that the economics of maintaining a theatre have become fairly tough with the introduction of OTT platforms, despite the fact that the participation of independent films produced in India has expanded tremendously at major international festivals in the last 15 years or so.

Nandita Das has starred in over 40 films and directed films including ‘Firaaq,’ ‘Manto,’ and ‘Zwigato,’ among others. She believes that in order to be released in cinemas, a film has to have a massive budget. IANS quoted the filmmaker saying, "Only very big budget films, which are more of spectacles, can afford to be distributed in theatres. We as filmmakers would want our films to be on the big screens where the audience commits their time completely to watch a film. It is a unique, collective, and immersive experience."

She clarifies that OTT services are interested in the picture's release; the issue is that the business model must benefit both the services and the investors before the film can be made available on those services. Nandita said, "Commerce is a reality and unfortunately cannot be ignored. There are many who are waiting for an OTT release so I hope 'Zwigato' finds a good home very soon and the film can reach as many people as possible." 

She added, "we, as audiences, are complicit" in the kinds of content that get produced and distributed, the actor-director adds, "It is only when more of us watch independent films and unique stories, that more such films will be made. Basically, the more the demand, the more will be the supply so we cannot absolve ourselves of our responsibility in shaping the content that we are lured into."

Meanwhile, Nandita Das is working on a movie script right now.

(With inputs from IANS)