Kolkata: Manoj Bajpayee, whose ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ is trending on an OTT platform, believes there is a need to make more movies for the theatrical format.
The 54-year-old actor told a top news agency that while people can enjoy a film on a streaming platform in the comfort of their homes, films (theatrical releases) have ‘their own beauty.
“There has to be some kind of balance between OTT and theatre, which feed off each other. We need to make more movies for theatres,” he said, observing that movies last for longer terms.
The ‘Shool’ fame said that the viewing habits of people changed during the pandemic and people got used to watching shows and movies on streamers.
“We need to make more and more movies for theatres, more within the budget. So that people again get used to watching films in theatres and a greater loss can be avoided,” Bajpayee said.
Asked about the reason behind gangster movies not doing well on the big screen, Bajpayee said he didn’t entirely agree with the argument and called it ‘a temporary phase’.
“Be it gangster movies or any movie, there are so many subjects and films. Just because OTT is there, does it mean all gangster movies will go to OTT? No. So many different kinds of films will be streamed and it is a passing phase,” the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ star said.
Asked if he wanted to be part of any Bengali project, he said, “I look forward to being a part of any great project in any language, be it Bengali, Tamil or Malayalam. But my only handicap is that I am not that well-versed in the Bengali language. It has to be a great project and I want to do complete justice to my role by being part of it.”
About ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’, Bajpayee said, “This film belongs to the mainstream genre, but it does not make anyone larger than life, including the protagonist. People keep watching it again and again as they find the characters believable.”
Manoj is reuniting with Abhishek Chaubey for a ‘Netflix’ series after ‘Ray’.
“It is a series you have never seen before. It is one of a kind.”