Neeraj Pandey: I have the clarity on what makes a film hit on OTT

Neeraj Pandey, whose recent production, Kaun Pravin Tambe? starring Shreyas Talpade has been receiving a lot of praise, is popular for directing a host of thriller films. He has produced many as well. Ask him though which out of the two, after 14 years of being in the industry, he prefers, and he quips, “I enjoy the writer’s role more than anything. The remaining two are the toughest for me.”

While he continues to dabble in different roles, the fact remains that today, mediums are varied as well. OTT is equally big as releasing a film in theatres. But as a maker, how does he get the clarity on whether the OTT release is a hit or not, like Kaun Pravin Tambe?

“I have complete clarity now. If the digital platform or the partner comes back to you and wants to do something else, that means it has worked for them. That is the signal, since they want to work with you again. You don’t know the numbers there, but you know the intent,” says the 48-year-old.

It must be tough, deciding which film to release in theatres and which one to release digitally. On how he makes the distinction, Pandey explains, “Pravin… was supposed to be a digital film right from the beginning, all along. The distinction is basically taken when our team sits down, and discusses whether the film is for theatres or should head straight to digital/ What is the cast, what we feel would be the reach etc. A lot of factors come into play.”

He also doesn’t want to consciously direct every film which he puts his money in. “I cannot be directing everything. I have a team of people who are excited, who can have that kind of passion and appetite to do a particular film, direct it,” he ends.