Actors should break the mould and experiment with new mediums: Manisha Koirala

#IFFIWood, 24 November 2024, A packed auditorium at the Kala Academy warmly welcomed veteran actor Manisha Koirala and visionary filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane with a thunderous round of applause. The much-anticipated rendezvous between the iconic Mallikajaan from ‘Heeramandi’ and the director behind acclaimed films like ‘Udaan’, ‘Lootera’, and the series ‘Sacred Games’, among many others, took place today at the 55^th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The two film industry veterans engaged in an insightful ‘In-Conversation’ session on ‘From Big Screen to Streaming,’ attended by film aficionados, students, media personnel, and fans from across India, all gathered in Goa for the occasion.

In the candid discussion, Manisha Koirala shared that both theatrical releases and series or films on OTT platforms require the same level of effort, preparation, sincerity, and mindset from actors. “In my thirty years of career, Heeramandi was the biggest set I’ve ever worked on,” she revealed. She also expressed her love for both experiences, saying, “I love going to theatres, but I also enjoy sitting at home and watching good content.” According to her, both have their own significance, and there’s a wealth of excellent content available on OTT. “I binge-watch OTT content,” she added, acknowledging the platform’s appeal.

When asked if actors still hesitate to work on OTT shows, Manisha candidly replied that there are ongoing discussions in the industry about it. “Anything new and unfamiliar is often met with doubt initially,” she explained. “But good results encourage people to embrace it.” She acknowledged that there is still some apprehension in the film industry regarding projects on streaming platforms. However, she expressed hope that “this will fade away in a few generations.” Both Manisha and Vikramaditya Motwane noted that many actors, including Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Varun Dhawan, have already starred in films released on OTT platforms, signalling a growing acceptance of the medium.

When Vikramaditya Motwane asked if working for OTT platforms felt like a ‘come down’ from the big screen, Manisha replied, “Actors should break the mould. I didn’t want to be confined to just one genre. As an actor, you want to explore different facets.” She further added, “Streaming is going to be a game changer. It’s opening up new opportunities and encouraging emerging filmmakers, writers, and actors to step into the spotlight.

Manisha also noted that roles for older women are evolving compared to what senior actresses were offered in the past. “Thanks to the audience, OTT is slowly breaking the mould,” she said. “In cinema as well, older actors are now being given more meatier roles. A lot has changed since the ’90s and 2000s. There’s so much to learn,” added the veteran actress.

Bringing a director’s perspective to the conversation, Vikramaditya Motwane, who is credited with successful projects in both formats, opined, “There is separate kind of magic in good series. It is hard to sustain multiple seasons from a creative perspective. It’s tough to keep the flow. And it is important that cast and crew energy sustains over the period.”

Speaking about his experience in both formats, the visionary director said, “I enjoy breaking genres. My first four films were all for cinema. Streaming platforms give you a little bit of more freedom when it comes to language. OTT platforms give more liberty. For theatrical releases, the budget and length are limited, stories have to be more for the mass.” However, production and post-production is almost the same, he informed. “The shooting process is getting quicker. 10 episodes of Jubilee was shot in 90 days, ‘Sacred Games’ was shot in 80 days”, he added. You have to take more instinctive choices during shooting, feels the director.

Speaking on writing for OTT platform, Vikramaditya informed, it’s a different process altogether. While writing, one has to keep the episodes and timing in mind, he noted. Both Manisha and Vikram agreed that there has to be a balance between big screen and OTT releases.

Vikram candidly agreed to the fact that giving direction to a series is a little difficult. “For showrunners it is difficult. Many international series have had different show runners for different seasons. OTT is a fairly new thing in India. We need to build on it. Bit by bit, it will happen”, he opined.

In his concluding remarks, Vikramaditya also expressed the opinion that the movie-watching experience in theatres needs improvement. He believes that unnecessary intervals and lengthy ads are often disliked by audiences. “However, cinema on the big screen will always have its magic,” he added. On the other hand, he noted that OTT platforms offer quality family entertainment and the freedom of private viewing. “A perfect blend of both formats will create a marvel in the cinema universe,” said Vikramaditya Motwane.

In the debate of big screen vs OTT, both the reputed industry experts agreed that – ‘when boundaries are pushed, many new wonderful things happen’.