Pratik Kothari reveals how Cutting is different from Mandela

Cutting released on Oho Gujarati at 7 pm on June 20. The director, Pratik Kothari, spoke to OTTplay about his project, which revolves around the setup of a salon.

We asked him if the film has any similarities between the recently released Tamil film, featuring Jagapathi Babu. Pratik opened up about that and the future of the series.

Excerpts from the interview:

What made you select the title Cutting?

I didn’t select the title. I came on board after the first draft was ready and the title was already in place. There was no reason for me to think of changing it. It’s such an appropriate title, since it is not only the story of a salon but it is also very short, 10-20 minutes.

Recently the Tamil industry explored the concept of salon in Mandela, but it addressed an underlying issue. Does Cutting plan to do the same?

I absolutely loved the concept and underlined theme of the film and it was fun watching it but here we look at the salon in a very different way. This is more nostalgic in the sense that you see people there on Sunday. We mostly focus on the customers who come into the salon with a predicament of their own which kind of gets resolved by the end of the episodes. We are dwelling more into the world of hair-cutting salons and the anecdotes you get there. It’s more in the zone about connecting with your barber.

What gave you the confidence to back the project?

I absolutely loved the idea, concept and world and the fact that nobody has actually explored something like this. We have seen a female parlour or spa but not a gent’s salon. The first draft itself was so hilarious that I jumped onto Cutting.

What can the viewers expect from Cutting?

It is a feel-good entertainer which will make you smile. It’s something I like as a person and so, I wish to spread that. It’s also in the space of Malgudi Days, where we talk about the imperfect but hilarious characters. Not just Mayur and Hemant but the clients also have their narrative which makes the series compelling and fun to watch.

When will Cutting season 2 release?

I would rather invest a lot of time in writing and prep so it’s far away to set a release date. We need to work on the script.

How many parts do you guys plan to convert it into?

It can go on and on since there’s a lot to explore and great stuff can be created out of the world that we are in.

What are your upcoming projects?

I have a Hindi indie film which we shot in Dehradun. It should be out very soon. I’m also working on another regional and am in talks for a couple of web shows.