Kirti Kulhari sees OTT moving toward a box office-like model

Actress Kirti Kulhari is presently enjoying the success of her latest OTT release, ‘Hisaab Barabar’. However, there’s more exciting news for fans of ‘Four More Shots Please!’ - the much-anticipated fourth season of the popular web series is set to go on floors this year. At present, Kirti’s ‘Hisaab Barabar’ is streaming on ‘Zee5’, while the Himesh Reshammiya-starrer ‘Badass Ravi Kumar’ is running in theatres.

A film centered around financial scams, ‘Hisaab Barabar’ made Kirti even more conscious about money management. “Scams are prevalent not just in India but across the world. This film highlights a bank scam, but it shows how it can impact ordinary individuals. There’s an important scene where Radhe (R Madhavan) breaks down the mechanics of such frauds -how small deductions from multiple accounts can accumulate into crores, benefiting those orchestrating the scam. The film doesn’t just depict fraud. It also educates viewers on how they could be vulnerable and why it’s essential to stay vigilant. If you notice discrepancies in your accounts, you should take a stand. What makes ‘Hisaab Barabar’ on ‘Zee5’ unique is its lighthearted approach. Despite dealing with a serious issue, it maintains a humorous tone throughout,” said Kirti, who plays an honest police officer and Radhe’s romantic interest in the film.

On a personal level, Kirti appreciates India’s shift to a digital economy and remains mindful of common financial frauds. However, she is far from being a mindless spender. “I still carry a middle-class mentality when it comes to money. My spending is need-based. Of course, being an actor, my needs are different, but even then, I am quite controlled compared to many of my colleagues. I’m not brand-obsessed - I don’t feel the need to buy an expensive bag just because of its label. Most of my shopping happens during sales and I even shop at thrift stores. In September last year, I committed on social media to not buying clothes, bags or shoes for a year - and I’ve stuck to it. I also embrace minimalism. If I buy something new, I make sure to give away an older item. I’m not a hoarder or an impulsive shopper,” said the ‘Mission Mangal’ actress.

Since the beginning of her career, Kirti has been intentional with her choices, delivering impactful performances in films like ‘Shaitan’, ‘Pink’, ‘Indu Sarkar’ and ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ and OTT projects such as ‘Four More Shots Please!’, ‘Criminal Justice’, ‘Human’ and ‘Shekhar Home’. As an actor who has been part of some of the most celebrated web shows, she has observed shifts in the OTT space.

“OTT initially stood out for its strong content and for creating stars rather than relying on established ones. That was its USP. But in the last couple of years, I’ve noticed a decline not just in content quality but also in the increasing push to bring in big names. This shift has disrupted the industry. The focus has moved away from pure storytelling and more towards commercial aspects like budgets and star power, similar to how mainstream films operate. While I understand the need for subscriptions and new members, OTT now feels more like a digital box office. The box office is about money and OTTs have become about subscriptions now. Instead of trusting that quality content will find its audience - as it did before - the focus has shifted toward marketing tactics and numbers, which I believe can be a distraction from simply making good cinema,” said Kirti, who made her Bollywood debut with ‘Khichdi: The Movie’ in 2010.