Ajay Devgn: Hope to go back to pre-COVID phase, where we didn’t have to make tough choices between OTT and theatres

Two of Ajay Devgn’s productions — The Big Bull and Tribhanga — have already premiered on OTT platforms amid the ongoing pandemic and both received good response, too. Clearly, the actor-producer believes in the potential of the web space. However, he’s someone who has been a quintessential big screen hero all his life, and also owns a theatre chain. How does he look at the face-off between OTT platforms and theatres in the future, when the Covid situation gets better? Will he make it a point that each of his film gets a theatrical release only?

“Cinema, at least the kind I’m doing has just one destination — a theatre near you. I want the films I’m doing to be enjoyed on the big screen. I cannot debate on the merits of cinema halls versus OTT platforms because the reality is that both will coexist,” admits Devgn.

The 52-year-old goes on to add that of course he wants theatres to retain the importance they hold both for the actors and audiences.

“As the owner of a theatre chain, I want cinemas to flourish. I want my staff to have employment and be happy, though what I want may be different from the reality. So, one can only hope and pray that we come back to a pre-COVID-19 phase, where we had no tough choices to make,” says Devgn, who has been in the film business for three decades now, and has cemented himself as one of the most popular actors.

From quirky comedies such as Golmaal, to intense dramas like Omkara and actioners like Singham, Devgn has never really stuck to any one genre.

And he calls it a “well thought of strategy” that he never wanted any one image for himself.

He tells us, “I’ve been like this from the start of my career. I jumped from commercial to middle-of-the-road cinema, from art-house films to over-the-top comedies. If you’re an actor, you must go through the entire gamut. And, there’s not one kind of cinema that I enjoy. Every genre has takers.”

Even now, a variety of films including Maidaan, MayDay and Thank God feature on his upcoming list. Besides full fledged projects, Devgn would also be seen making special appearances in Gangubai Kathiawadi, RRR and Sooryavanshi.

The actor continues, “Forget the past, what I’m doing now is also a mixed bag. Maidaan is a biopic with a football-backdrop, MayDay is an aviation-thriller. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next instalment of Singham. And, when Golmaal happens, once again, there’ll be a mad hatter’s party, as we know franchises like Singham and Golmaal have their ever-so-faithful audience.”