Why Anurag Kashyap stopped working on OTT projects
What's the story
Anurag Kashyap, the acclaimed director who was instrumental in revolutionizing the Indian OTT landscape with projects like Sacred Games, has revealed why he chose to distance himself from this medium. Speaking to Zoom for his latest film, Nishaanchi, he recounted an unpleasant experience with an unnamed OTT platform that kept him engaged with a script for two years without informing him that the project had been shelved.
Disappointment
'If you were scared of it, you should've stopped it'
Kashyap expressed his disappointment over the unprofessional behavior of the OTT platform. He said in Hindi, "If something doesn't work for you, [then inform]. I had emotional investment and time investment in it." "It was a three-part film. You already knew it won't materialise. You should point it out then and there." "If you were scared of it, you should have stopped it."
Career shift
'I finished writing it but still wasn't told...'
Kashyap further added, "But they let me go on for two years, I finished writing it but still wasn't told that it is not happening." "It is unethical and unprofessional to that level. To overcompensate, they would send me very sh***y material and I would say no to it. So, I decided to step away." This experience led him to take a step back from the OTT space and focus on other projects.
New project
Meanwhile, 'Nishaanchi' released today
Despite his disappointment, Kashyap has not given up on filmmaking. His new movie Nishaanchi, which introduces Aaishvary Thackeray to the big screen, was born during a flight from Bengaluru to Melbourne. The film also stars Vedika Pinto and Monika Panwar and hit theaters on Friday, September 19.