Nawazuddin: “I Won’t Do Any More OTT Shows”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui: “The platform has become  a dumping ground for redundant shows”

Nawazuddin Siddiqui has quit the digital platform. He  is  not happy with what he sees there.

“The platform has become  a dumping ground for redundant shows. We  either have  shows which don’t  deserve  to be  seen in the first place. Or  sequels  to shows that  have nothing more to say,” says  a disgusted Nawazuddin who was  a pioneer  on  the digital medium.

“When  I did  Sacred Games for Netflix, there was an excitement and  challenge around the digital medium. New talent was being given a  chance Now that  freshness is gone.It’s become  dhanda(racket) for big  production houses and  actors who are  now  so-called stars  on the  OTT platform. Major  film producers  in Bollywood have cut lucrative deals with  all  the big players   in  the OTT field. Producers get  whopping amounts to  create unlimited content. Quantity has killed  quality,”  says Nawazuddin sadly.

Nawazuddin finds OTT the shows  unbearable now. “When I can’t bear  to watch them  how can I bear to be in them?”

The actor  par excellence fears  the growth of a  parallel star system on  the  OTT. “Yeh star system  bade parde  ko kha gaya(this star system killed  the big screen). Now  we have so-called stars on OTT claiming big money and throwing tantrums  like Bollywood A-listers. They  forget. Content is king.Woh zamana chala  gala . When stars ruled.Before this lockdown and the  digital domination A-listers would release their films  in 3,000 theatre across the country. People had no choice  but to see them. Now they have  unlimited  choices.”