Nawazuddin Defends Filmmakers Rights To Digital

During  the past  week  the  debate on the ethics of  producers bypassing the theatrical  release  of their films to go straight  to  OTT,  has heated up.

Actor  Nawazuddin  Siddiqui whose  long-in-the-pipeline Ghoomketu is  being premiered online on May 22 for Eid says he is all  for  a digital  release.

“I can  understand the  anger  of  movie exhibitors.  But can they offer us  a solution? Do we even know when the  theatres  would  re-open, let alone  when  audiences will feel safe in theatres?  How long can we wait? A  film like Bhoomketu can’t afford  to  wait . In fact I feel  this option of releasing digitally is  godsend for an actor like me. So many  of my films  lie unreleased. Ghoomketu was completed  in 2017. It’s a film I’m very proud of.Why haven’t theatre exhibitors shown  any interest in these important  unreleased films?”

Nawaz  recommends  the  OTT platform for some of his other long-delayed  projects. “Two of my other unreleased  films which I’m very proud and  would  love to see  release  on  the digital platform  are Mangesh Hadawale’s Dekh Indian Circus  and  Geetu Mohandas’s Liars Dice. Both were completed  9  years  ago and are yet to be exhibited in theatres.Why haven’t the movie exhibitors looked at these two films? I am very proud of both films and I look forward to their release  on the OTT platform.”

Nawaz  is  proud of Ghoomketu too. “It’s a  special film. Because I rarely get to do lighthearted characters. My  character  is  a screenplay writer  from a small town in Mumbai whose script  is  lost. Anurag Kashyap plays  the  cop who is after me. Having worked with Anurag as  actor-director in Gangs Of Wasseypur it  was a  pleasure working with him  as a co-actor.”

Nawaz says  the  film is a  lighthearted take on Bollywood. “We need to bring as much sunshine into  our lives  as possible. Most of my films are dark brooding  violent and intense. I have done light roles   in  Freaky Ali and  Munna  Michael.   Ghoomketu is a  humorous take  on a struggler’s adventures  in  Bollywood. It is also my first  release  for 2020.So  I  am  excited asto how  home audiences will take  to  the film.”

Nawazuddin says he is  still  calm   in the fourth week of lockdown. “I am  completely at  peace  with myself. I am watching a  lot of world cinema.And now I am going to watch my own film Ghoomketu when  it premieres  on  May 22.”