Riding high on the success of "Drishyam 2", Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare says the aim of the film studio is to explore newer stories and build franchises simultaneously.
Through their filmography which includes titles like "Kahaani", "Pyaar Ka Punchnama", "Special 26", "Queen", and "Padmaavat", Andhare said the Mumbai-based company is dedicated towards delivering unique content across genres.
"The main attempt at the studio is we should not get trapped into a certain method or formula. You have to constantly reinvent.
"You have to ask questions: Are you becoming irrelevant? Are there any stories that you haven't told? Storytellers today are exploring different themes and the environment has compelled them to explore different themes and that always enriches cinema," Andhare told PTI in an interview here.
Touted India's "first fully integrated motion picture studio", the upcoming movie line-up of Viacom18 Motion Pictures boasts of a entertainers like "Govinda Naam Mera" featuring Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar and Kiara Advani; Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone “Fighter”, billed as India's first aerial action film, and the romantic film “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani” starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt with Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi in pivotal roles.
These titles are nothing like what the content company has offered to the viewers in the past, Andhare said.
While the team is developing films with theatrical experience in mind, the plan with OTT platforms is to go looking for "rooted" stories.
“We haven't done this kind of top-fighting action film so we are doing ‘Fighter'. ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani' is a mainstream entertainer. Then, there is the sequel to ‘Oh My God'.
"‘Dhak Dhak' is a story of four women who go on a road trip and discover themselves, we have ‘Single Salma' with Huma Qureshi, ‘Suspect' with Nana Patekar,” he added.
Andhare said the company is also actively working towards developing content for the digital medium via its digital arm Tipping Point.
Some of the web series under development include crime thriller "Parallax", investigative drama "KaalKut", "Transition" which is described as a ground-breaking reality show, murder mystery "Mahim", and "Boots, Belts & Berets", a series based on Army cadets' life.
“For series, the approach is very different, you go for rooted and dense stories, for example the world of ‘Jamtara' and ‘She'. You will see similar things in ‘Parallax', ‘KaalKut', ‘Mahim' and ‘Boots, Belts & Berets'.
"We have an exciting series in ‘Transition', which talks about trans queen of 2021 Shaine Soni,” he added.
The record-breaking run of the studio's latest big-screen offering “Drishyam 2”, starring Ajay Devgn and Tabu, is a shot in the arm for Viacom18 Motion Pictures, added the senior executive.
Released on November 18, the Hindi-language film has raised over Rs 203 crore at the domestic box office.
According to Andhare, the key reason behind the outpour of love for the movie is the popularity its first part over the years.
The success of “Drishyam 2” has dispelled the notion that mid-budget remakes fail to lure audiences and only larger-than-life movies are a big draw, he said.
“If you have a film that is well-made then it can go against any traditional labels and notions, besides it will find its audience. This is a good old belief and this film proves that.
"We are happy that the audiences are back to theatres, the story, the characters are winning them. The way the audience is hooked till the end, nothing can be more heartening,” he said, adding the possibility of making “Drishyam 3” can be explored. Andhare said commercial success augers well for future projects.
“We are in the business of making cinema work, otherwise we would be making only art films. The numbers and return on capital are central to what we do at the studio,” he said.
Some films work, some don't, said the producer citing the example of Viacom18 Motion Pictures' “Laal Singh Chaddha” headlined by Aamir Khan.
“We have had ‘Laal Singh Chaddha'. Despite all our intent, the film did not do very well at the box office with the biggest of superstars. But look, the film has found so much appreciation on the digital platform (Netflix). So many people have seen it and wonder why this film did not do well.”
When films don't strike a chord, Andhare said, the makers should introspect the reason behind it instead of calling out the huge ticket prices, high budgets, and genre for its failure.
“When the films are failing, they have to look inwards as to why they did not manage to connect rather than look for formulaic reasons, like because it is a remake or it didn't have action, so the film didn't work.
"These are simplistic observations. As makers you have two-three things to fall back on -- your instincts and you have to be genuine in your storytelling and craft,” he added.
