For filmmakers like us, OTT is a great opportunity: Tigmanshu Dhulia

National Award winning filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia feels OTT space has given more liberty to a writer-director like him to tell their stories in a better manner without bothering much about the release.

The Haasil and Paan Singh Tomar director says, “I feel now largely only big films will work in theatres. For filmmakers like us, OTT is a great game changer. In fact, I am enjoying this phase to the fullest. I have worked very less with big stars and on OTT you don’t need to bother about that at all. So, you can concentrate more on quality work and need not stress about the release factor which I have faced a lot in my career. (Paan Singh… was stuck for two years).”

Dhulia, however, feels that content is going to be the key on OTT space also as there is an overdose of supply and soon only good shows will work.

Having done TV, films and OTT series, he says “Best part is that process of shooting for an OTT series is just like making a film. Though audiences can watch it on mobile phones still the experience is of a movie. Unlike TV, we don’t work like panning a master-shot, then over the shoulder and close-up! So, shooting series gives fulfillment of shooting a film, in fact more than that!

He is currently wrapping OTT series Garmi in Bhopal which is based on student politics. “Since it’s about youngsters so I’m launching a lot of new faces along with seasoned actors including Mukesh Tiwari, Vineet Kumar and Jatin Goswami. We hope to complete it quickly and bring it by year-end,” says the co-director of first seasons of Criminal Justice and Out of Love.

After a great response to his last release The Great Indian Murder he tells that the second and the concluding season is in scripting stage and hopes it will be ready to stream in 2023.

As an actor Dhulia was last seen in Tandav and next he will be shooting for an independent film in Raipur. “I don’t make effort to get acting projects, it’s just that if I get something interesting which needs less dates or is for a friend then I take it up.”

Dhulia has a film script ready which he plans to shoot in home state (UP) but says it’s too early to talk about it. After being stuck for many years, his film Yaara (2020) finally got streamed on OTT but he wishes it was released on big screen for better viewing experience.