Mohan Babu: OTTs can never provide the joy of theatrical experience

There's never a dull moment when actor, producer Mohan Babu is around. Be it his trademark sarcasm, wit, arrogance or his words of wisdom, he's an interesting person to listen to. The veteran has been shooting for his vigilante saga Son of India over the past year and was seen in brief roles in films like Soorarai Pottru and Mahanati, to name a few. In his latest appearance for the talk show, Open Heart with RK, the man opened up on the OTT revolution, how the industry is facing tough times in the post COVID-19 era.

"I'm very sad at what has happened to the film industry after the pandemic. So many workers are struggling for livelihood. It has brought so many of us to ground zero. Initially, there was no guarantee if theatres would even function and then came the OTT trend. What's the joy of watching a film on the small screen or a mobile? Taking frequent breaks, watching it in bits and pieces and skipping the movie altogether. The theatres, the whistles, the joy of watching a film together with friends, beloved and crowds is unmatched. OTT can never provide the high of watching a film at the theatres," he said. 

Despite his criticism of the direct-to-OTT release trend, he admits that the digital medium has done a certain amount of good as well and has helped discover many untapped talents in the industry. Besides Son of India, where he plays the lead role, he's also been cast in director Gunasekhar's magnum opus Shaakuntalam. "I've been cast as Durvasa in the film, it's a role that suits me perfectly. I'm completely fine about being a character artiste as long as I'm paid well," Mohan Babu added. 

He clarified that politics isn't his priority at all and that he would want to manage his chain of educational institutions, continue acting and producing films in the coming years.

Also read: Soorarai Pottru makes it to IMDb Top 3, 2021