After backing 12 projects as a producer, including Masaan (2015) and Newton (2017), Manish Mundra is set to debut as a director with Siya. Starring actors Vineet Kumar Singh and Pooja Pandey, the film is about a rape survivor who fights for justice. With content-driven, hard-hitting films being lauded by audiences in the recent times, does he hope to find better number of screens for his film?

Mundra begs to differ, and says, “It’s still the same as pre-pandemic times. The number of screens, in general, is less in India; there are just about 5,000 screens for Hindi films here.”

He continues, “Entertainment is one of the biggest objectives of a film and people don’t go to theatres to see pain. So, films like Siya are started from the premise that they won’t perform well at the box office.”

The 49-year-old adds that it’s due to this uncertainty that making such films requires “a lot of courage”. Mundra says, “I make such films to spread awareness and this one is about the hypocrisy behind crimes against women. I already know that I won’t make money out of it.”

Given the wide reach of OTT, many filmmakers have taken the digital route for their projects. But, Mundra’s film will have a theatrical release: “All my films have always released in theatres first, before airing on TV or OTT platforms. We are following the same route for Siya too. Theatres give a different sense of satisfaction and a feeling of completeness. It will definitely release on OTT, too, for the masses to enjoy.”