The rise of OTT platforms — especially during the lockdown — has given way to discussions about the medium’s competition with theatres, economic viability, etc. But filmmaker Anees Bazmee feels that streaming sites can also leave a “positive creative impact” on the art of filmmaking.

“When it comes to a big-budget feature film (meant for the big screen), there are certain limitations with regards to how much experimentation you can indulge in. The reason being that, in terms of earnings, a lot rides on pulling in audiences to theatres by indulging in ‘safe things’, and not getting too experimental,” says the Welcome (2007) director, adding that OTT platforms don’t have any such issues. “They have come as a blessing for many filmmakers as creative boundaries have been expanded... In fact, we are already seeing the result of it in terms of some fantastic shows and OTT films. The freedom that you get on streaming sites to explore your creativity is unparalleled,” says Bazmee.

What OTT platforms have also done, according to him, is “changed the game vis-a-vis providing a legit platform and also financial support to a lot of shows/films”. “Now, all those projects which fall in the out-of-the-box category due to their content and treatment, and would have otherwise had difficulty finding takers, sits well within the format of the medium,” says the writer-director.

Bazmee, whose next film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is stuck due to the pandemic, feels streaming sites have also showed the way to new talent — writers, directors, actors, editors, etc. — and helped them get “right kind of opportunities”. He explains, “They can also be stars now, and not get lost in the crowd. And I can’t stress enough on the fact that more content creation (on streaming sites) means so many of our technicians/talent are earning their livelihood by doing some great quality work.”