Veteran filmmaker David Dhawan made a strong statement on actors working on OTT platforms and the advent of digital content and challenged the actors to act in theatrical films if they believed they were any good. He also stated that while it was easy to release a project online without any set numbers, the real task lies in facing the audience in theatres with the verdict out in the open.
During a chat with Arbaaz Khan, the latter asked the filmmaker if he feels cinema has lost its charm due to the advent of OTT. Dhawan rejected the claim within a beat and went on to say, "I tell this to every actor. Why do you want to play so safe with OTT where you don't even know how much a project has worked? Theatre mein aao, apni aukaat dikhao tum."
"These actors are scared. They will not do a theatre film. They are scared of the bloody media. I remember the claps and cheers that the dialogues in our films would get in theatres. There's nothing like it," he averred.
"Real appreciation and validation comes from theatres. Anyone can do OTT. There's a safety mesh over there," Dhawan added.
It is to be noted that Dhawan's last directorial, Coolie No 1, which starred Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan, release on OTT. The film, which was stuck due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was finally released by the makers on Amazon Prime Video in December 2020.
Speaking of his future projects, Dhawan is reportedly all set to direct Varun once again in a film titled Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. As per reports, the film also stars Mrunal Thakur and Sreeleela in key roles, and the shooting for it has already begun in an undisclosed location.
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