Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Apr 12: Actor Ranvir Shorey has said that the current environment is not favourable for small, independent films in India, as big-budget, spectacle-driven movies continue to dominate both theatres and streaming platforms.
Speaking during the promotion of his upcoming film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, Shorey noted that independent cinema is gradually losing space across mediums.
Over the years, Shorey has been associated with several acclaimed indie films such as Khosla Ka Ghosla, Bheja Fry and Dasvidaniya. His latest film is a crime thriller written and directed by Rajat Kapoor.
In an interview, Shorey said that while theatrical releases have always been challenging for smaller films due to the dominance of big stars and large productions, streaming platforms had once offered relief. “But now even on streaming platforms, the gatekeeping is becoming similar to how it was in theatres,” he said.
Commenting on the recent success of big-ticket films like Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, Shorey expressed scepticism about their impact on independent cinema. “I don’t see how the success of a film like ‘Dhurandhar’ will help films like ours, which are driven by characters and storytelling rather than scale and spectacle,” he said.
The film features Ranveer Singh in the lead, along with Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt. Its first part reportedly grossed ?1,300 crore worldwide, while the sequel has crossed ?1,600 crore.
Shorey expressed hope that evolving digital platforms and the internet could eventually create new avenues for independent filmmakers.
Currently, he is starring in Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, which is streaming on ZEE5. The film revolves around a couple’s anniversary party that takes a dark turn when a controversial guest is found murdered.
The film also features Vinay Pathak, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Koel Puri, Sadia Siddiqui and Chandrachoor Rai. It is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Mithya Talkies.