Renowned filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj has expressed his deep concern over the current state of the Indian cinema industry. According to him, good cinema is going through a deep struggle, with filmmakers facing immense challenges in raising funds for their projects.
Twenty years ago, films like Haider, Udaan, and Gangs of Wasseypur would have easily secured funding, but now, it's a different story. The advent of OTT platforms has led to a straight demarcation, with streaming services dictating that films should be released in theatres first before being taken up by them.
Vishal believes that this has resulted in good films being beaten in the process, with the current theatrical landscape being difficult for filmmakers. He points out that his contemporaries, including Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, and Vikramaditya Motwane, are now working on OTT projects.
The director also highlights the challenges faced by theatrical movies, including the shortening gap between a film's release in theatres and its arrival on OTT platforms. He suggests that filmmakers need to look at themselves from a new perspective to keep themselves alive in the film.
Vishal recalls the golden period of Indian cinema, which was around 2004-2005, before the pandemic. During this time, filmmakers could make and release anything, and people would come to theatres to watch films like Haider and Gangs of Wasseypur.
He concludes by saying that the industry needs a revolutionary step to overcome its current struggles and that it's not just a local issue, but a global one.
