EXCLUSIVE: Shabaash Mithu star Taapsee Pannu speaks up on difference in OTT vs theatres and how female stars celebrated more on digital – “Jitni screens ek hero ki film ko milti hain, kabhi utni heroine ki film ko nahi milti hai”

July 9, 2022 - 4:01 PM IST

Taapsee Pannu, who will be seen in the role of cricketer Mithali Raj in Shabaash Mithu, is currently on a promotion spree for the forthcoming biopic based on the Indian cricketer. The actress, who has been an avid supporter of women’s rights and a firm believer in equality, has now voiced her opinion on how female artists are being celebrated more on OTT release than in a theatrical one.

EXCLUSIVE: Shabaash Mithu star Taapsee Pannu speaks up on difference in OTT vs theatres and how female stars celebrated more on digital – “Jitni screens ek hero ki film ko milti hain, kabhi utni heroine ki film ko nahi milti hai”

In this exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, when asked what she feels about how OTT as a platform has helped actors, especially women, to come up and rise as an artist, Taapsee says, “Especially women artists are being celebrated on OTT because the risk factor is not there. The variable amount of theatrical return gets eliminated. You are not worried about how much the film will make basis performance.”

“So the risk-taking factor has increased, because you know that you will make the film in this much amount be it with male protagonist or a female protagonist, you will get this much in return. And you don’t have to worry about, you know, losing money. Hence, the risk joh take karne ki himmat hoti hai na,who badh jaati hai logo ki.”

“Also, we have a level playing field. Jitni screens ek hero ki film ko milti hain, kabhi utni heroine ki film ko nahi milti hai agar same day par release ho rahi ho, if they are of the same recall value so to say. Meri khud ki films kitni baar clash hoti thi. Humesha humein kam screens milti hai. But OTT par aisa nahi hota, it’s equally visible. Ab content decide karega kisko film dekhni hai, kisko nahi (Also, we have a level playing field. A female led film never gets the same amount of screen count as a male led film if releasing on the same day, so to say, if they are of the same recall value. How many times did my own movies clash with male led films? We have often gotten lesser screens. But this does not happen on OTT, it shows up equally. Now the content will decide who will watch the film and who will not)," Taapsee said in the interview.

“There are so many times people start a film and they end it midway, and they get statistics of that also. Ki kitni films puri view kari gayi hai, kitni films nahi kari gayi hai. So now the content will take over because the platform is equal. Woh har country mein, male protagonist ho chahe female protagonist ho, visibility utni hi hoyegi film ki. So that is the reason why female have started getting more presence because of OTT.”

Talking about which films should get a theatrical release and which shouldn't, the actress said, “Theater is a community viewing experience. Ab ho sakta hai ki aapka mann ho ki mujhe sirf comedy with entertainers dekhni hai, kuch log kahenge ki nahi mujhe kuch thriller type ki cheez bhi mujhe sabke saath baith ke dekhni hai toh gasps joh honge who saath mein honge; wow moments honge who bhi saath me honge. Toh meri choice of community viewing film aapki choice se alag ho sakti hai.”

She added, “Idea is, aapko film 200 log ke saath dekhne mein maza aata hai, ya aapko individually dekhne mein maza aata hai. Aap yeh film 100 logo ke saath dekh kar zyada enjoy kar sakte hai ho; kuch film mein main chahungi ki nahi mujhe 100 logo ke saath nahi, main individually apne time par dekhna chahungi, who aap OTT par kar loge. Toh aise main judge karti hoon apni film ki yeh mujhe 100-200 logo ke saath dekhke maza aayega ya this film, people would want to watch one-on-one on screen (The idea is, either you enjoy watching the film with 200 people, or you enjoy watching it individually. You may enjoy watching this film with 100 people; in some films I would like to see me not with 100 people, I would personally like to watch on my own time, for which you will go on OTT. So I judge in this way ‘I will enjoy watching my film with 100-200 people or this film and people would like to see the film on screen one-on-one on-screen).”

Shabaash Mithu releases in theatres on July 15, 2022.