PremiumKota Factory Season 3 director Pratish Mehta on taking over from Raghav Subbu: 'There is pressure, but I always enjoy that feeling' | Exclusive!
Pratish Mehta played a supporting role in the previous season of Kota Factory and is now the director of season 3.
Kota Factory 3 Director Pratish Mehta On Pressure
Last Updated: 04.11 PM, Jun 18, 2024
Right between the buzz around Mirzapur, Panchayat, and many other legacy shows, TVF and Netflix decided to drop the announcement of the third season of Kota Factory, and the world suddenly changed the course of their anticipation. Starring Jitendra Kumar in the lead with the team and now Tillotama Shome joining them, Kota Factory season 3 has been one of the most anticipated shows in the digital space ever since it was teased during the Netflix 2024 slate announcement.
But when the credits came in, while there were new additions, the most shocking was that a new director was on board and Raghav Subbu serving as the showrunner only. Pratish Mehta, a TVF prodigy, took over from season 3 as the director and is now gearing up for the real litmus test that awaits two days from now. In conversation with OTTplay, Mehta spoke about the same.
Pratish Mehta on Kota Factory Season 3
For the uninitiated, Pratish Mehta has been associated with Kota Factory since season 1. While he was behind the scenes for the first season, he also made a special appearance in season 2 as a student. The filmmaker has directed shows like Half CA and SK Sir Ki Classes for the production and calls it his institute. In an exclusive conversation with OTTplay, Pratish talks about the pressure of taking over from season 3 after Raghav Subbu has left an indelible mark on it. He also talks about his learning. Read on to learn everything you should know about the same.
When Pratish Mehta sat down with OTTplay for an exclusive conversation, we asked him what it takes for a filmmaker to take on a successful IP from the third season and what caused the shuffle. The Kota Factory season 3 director said, “One day Raghav called and said, ‘Do you want to direct season 3?’ So... maybe Raghav must have seen something in me in the one or two shows that I did with them. Raghav has always been a senior in TVF. So, when I did Half CA and before that, I did SK Sir Ki Class, he used to watch and give feedback on whether he liked it or he didn't like it. I mean, this was my onboarding. And I am always a fan of Kota Factory. I was also a small associate in the first two seasons. In season 1, I did a CTA (Call to Action) that was on YouTube. In season 2, I did a small cameo. Then in season 3, he asked, 'Do you want to direct?'”
Pratish Mehta on the Pressure
The Kota Factory season 3 director further spoke about the pressure that comes with this massive responsibility. Pratish Mehta said, “I enjoy it. I see any tough thing as an opportunity. There is pressure, but I always enjoy that feeling of pressure. Because it is such a beautiful world, I wanted to know how it was made. I am the kind of person who, if I know that I have to do one thing, will put everything into doing it. Then for that, I don't want to bother someone else; I don't want to trouble the actors. But I will make sure that whatever I feel should come will happen. I enjoy it. You know that this is such a universe that when it ends and the product is in front of you, you would have learned a lot. What kind of response will come? What will happen? That depends on the audience.”
Calling this his learning ground, Pratish Mehta concluded, “Sometimes you learn two years in eight months. Kota Factory season 3 is the same. I had very little time for it, even before coming. My prep period was very short. But I have learned a lot in these eight months. So, that was the best for me. That preparation is the only way.”
About Kota Factory Season 3
Kota Factory season 3 now moves towards D-day. Meena, Meenal, Vaibhav, Vartika, Uday, and Shivangi are all set to appear for their final exams. But there is more. Jeetu Bhaiya has not been himself for a while and that is bothering everyone around him. What exactly is happening with him? Is there a sad end to all of this? What does Tillotama Shome’s entry mean? Everything is answered in the season.
Kota Factory season 3 will hit Netflix on June 20, 2024. Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else in the world of streaming and films.