After turning producer with his 2014 romcom One By Two, Abhay Deol is now foraying into distribution. His banner, Abhay Deol Presents, will now release independent films online. The 40-year-old actor has acquired three films from the ongoing National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) Film Bazaar in Goa - Aditya Vikram Sengupta's Venice Film Festival and National Award-winning Labour Of Love, Payal Sethi's Leeches, a UN Women Selection, and Brahmanand Singh's documentary on Jagjit Singh, Kaagaz Ki Kashti. The films will go straight from festival screening to a digital release. “I was blown away by Aditya's sensibilities and his ability to spin a story without any spoken dialogues. Payal's Leeches has beautifully woven a compelling story around an issue that is anathema to our social fibre and well-being. Kaagaz Ki Kashti succeeds in powerfully bringing a legend back to life. I want to ensure that audiences across the world get to watch these films,“ Abhay told Mirror.

He went on to inform that he had decided to distribute indie films because they are for a niche audience and he can explore opportunities in an emerging market like the digital platform. “The number of single screens is diminishing and smaller films don't get a release along side the biggies and sales is restricted too. The economics to engage in theatrical releases don't make sense because even the minimum P&A (Promotion and Advertising) budgets required to secure a decent release adds unhealthy weight on a small film. What we need now is to adopt alternate avenues of distribution,“ he asserted.

Will he market big-budget commercial films as well? “Mainstream films don't need this kind of a push. What can I add there?“ he argued. What about acting in indie films? “I'm taking one step at a time. I'm already an actor and would like to balance mainstream and niche cinema.“

On the subject of piracy he maintained that it stems primarily from unavailability of content on legitimate digital platforms. “If your film is made available at the right time, I believe the audiences would pay and watch it on a platform legally. Moreover, monetisation through digital distribution is increasingly resulting in a positive return on investment. Licensing platforms are offering fair payouts and paving the way for audiences around the world to watch and appreciate South-Asian content,“ said Abhay who was to attend the Film Bazaar in Goa but had to cancel his plans after he fell ill.