Kiran Rao Anticipates Significant Progress in OTT Content
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Synopsis
Filmmaker Kiran Rao highlights the potential for groundbreaking content in Indian OTT, expressing the need for innovative storytelling and audience migration to streaming platforms. She reflects on the challenges and possibilities within the industry as she contemplates her future projects.
Key Takeaways
- Kiran Rao believes Indian OTT content has room for growth.
- Streaming platforms have potential for immersive storytelling.
- Self-censorship limits creative expression in the industry.
- There’s a need to attract more audiences to OTT.
- Rao is exploring new series ideas but has no projects greenlit yet.
Mumbai, Feb 16 (NationPress) Filmmaker Kiran Rao, renowned for her works ‘Laapataa Ladies’ and ‘Dhobhi Ghat’, expressed that the Indian OTT landscape still has a long way to go regarding innovative content.
Kiran attended the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC) organized by the Screenwriters Association of India (SWA).
She noted that while streaming platforms initially showcased the ability to enhance immersive storytelling and detailed world-building, and despite some remarkable writing milestones, she feels there is still much more to discover and achieve.
She commented, "Certainly, there is a significant amount of self-censorship, factors we cannot approach for audiences, which has emerged now. This was absent during the significant rise of American TV writing. It was possible to tell stories in a way that films cannot, with characters revealing themselves, creating a world in greater depth, and addressing various issues."
The director mentioned that this remains the situation for many industries; however, she is uncertain about its development in India.
She added, "There is also a necessity to attract more audiences to migrate to OTT. This transition was effectively achieved during Covid-19. Currently, much of what is termed as 'successful' or popular on OTT in India resembles content typically seen in films. Therefore, the potential for world-building and other aspects may not have been realized. This might also be due to a slight bubble burst."
"OTT was viewed as this golden opportunity, where everyone could pursue their dreams, and it had to reach a full circle. There is vast potential there, numerous stories awaiting to be told, but I am uncertain about how many individuals are commissioning them and the economics that support this. Like any trend, there was a golden age, but I am unsure of its future trajectory. We still have remarkable writing on OTT in India, yet there is plenty more to achieve."
When asked by moderator-writer Mitesh Shah about her plans for a streaming project, she replied, "Nothing has been officially approved yet. I have a few series concepts, including a mini-series, but I am unclear about the direction of my work. I often feel compelled to adapt the ideas I developed for my series into films."
The ISC will conclude on Sunday, featuring esteemed screenwriters and creators, including Shoojit Sarkar, C Prem Kumar, Christo Tomy, Hemanth M Rao, Vivek Athreya, Biswapati Sarkar, and Anand Tiwari, who will share their insights, techniques, and the secrets behind their most acclaimed works, along with how they navigate the evolving dynamics of the industry.
