Kalki 2898 AD producers say OTT has reduced mediocrity in Indian cinema - ‘Audiences are always changing’

When one of the leading banners in Telugu cinema, Vyjayanthi Movies, was in the middle of a lull phase, a few smart creative decisions by Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt, the daughters of veteran producer Aswani Dutt, turned the tide in favour of the production house. From scoring consecutive hits to venturing into the OTT space to producing Kalki 2898 AD, they’ve never had to look back later.

While Nag Ashwin’s sci-fi saga Kalki 2898 AD, which brings together a huge lineup of stars - Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Disha Patani, Kamal Haasan and Amitabh Bachchan - gears up for a release in mid 2024, its producers discussed a few trends and changes in Indian cinema, evolution of audience tastes, in conversation with Variety recently.

Also read: Kalki 2898 AD glimpse Twitter reactions: Prabhas fans overjoyed 

Swapna Dutt believes 2023 has brought together the Indian film industry as one, going beyond terms like regional cinema and Bollywood, facilitating a healthy exchange of talent across industries. Indian cinema being considered on par with world cinema is a major achievement, she opines. The response for Kalki 2898 AD at the San Diego Comic-Con is a true testament to the trend.

Priyanka Dutt feels it’s necessary to acknowledge changing tastes of audiences and senses the need for filmmakers to give their best shot at creating exciting projects. Swapna opines that crowds crave the big-screen communal experience, watching event films, but have clearly said no to mediocrity. The various options available on OTT has created a new challenge, she adds.

When streaming wasn’t an option for viewers, average films too managed to get decent box-office numbers, which isn’t the scenario now, Swapna states. Post-pandemic, the content explosion has forced the film industry to push its limits, she mentions. Apart from Kalki 2898 AD, Vyjayanthi Movies was in the news recently for Amazon Prime Video’s acclaimed web show Kumari Srimathi.

Also read: What is Project K? Decoding Kalki 2898 AD and the futuristic world of the Prabhas, Deepika Padukone starrer 

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