Abhinay Deo addresses OTT’s slump

Deo, whose maiden series Brown premièred at Berlinale Market Selects, says Indian OTT content is stuck in a rut after the initial boom

Abhinay Deo may have jumped on the OTT bandwagon only now, but he is off to a winning start. The director’s maiden web series, Brown, premièred at the Berlinale Series Market Selects last week. Even as he takes baby steps in digital entertainment with the Karisma Kapoor-starrer, he rues that the Indian OTT scene may not be living up to the promise it showed in its inception. 

Abhinay Deo

Deo says while long-format storytelling allows a director to explore stories that might not find takers on the big screen, many content creators have begun to follow the restrictive structures of theatrical business. “We are in a good and a bad place. It’s good because the format allows us to do so much more. But at the same time, [OTT content] has started getting into a rut. Once upon a time, it was an [avenue] where we could have made great cinema. But now, suddenly, we are [being dominated] by the need for big numbers. So, we need to [cast] big actors in the projects. Unfortunately, we are moving into the same template [as theatrical movies]. As OTT evolves further, hopefully, it will get to a better place,” says the filmmaker.

Also Read: Karisma Kapoor: 'Brown' is out of my comfort zone

What’s next after Brown? A sequel to Delhi Belly (2011), perhaps? Fans have constantly hoped for a second instalment, but the director has stayed away from revisiting the black comedy. Deo reasons, “From the day Delhi Belly released to today, I am asked about a sequel. The way I make films is organic; I believe [a fitting story] has to come to me.”

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