The actor, who feels the big screen will always have a charm of its own, says small films get stepmotherly treatment in the industry
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 17, 2020)

Movie theatres have been shut since the Coronavirus lockdown first came into force on March 25. And though theatre owners have incurred huge losses, many feel the rise of OTT platforms is great news for content creators. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, too, believes streaming sites have “proved to be a blessing for smaller films.”

“The big screen has always had, and will forever have its charm. Wahaan ek alag hi mahaul hota hai,” says Siddiqui, adding: “OTT platforms, on the other hand, have special advantages. For instance, lockdown mein bhi kitne log meri films dekh paa rahein hain. Plus, streaming sites are available worldwide to everyone.” During the lockdown, some of his films, such as Ghoomketu and Raat Akeli Hai, were released digitally.

The actor also feels cinema halls don’t create a level-playing field for all. “Theatres have become superstars’ personal fiefdom of sorts, it’s as if they have established a rule over 5,000 screens. But OTTs have come as a blessing for smaller films. With no investors, producers, backers or a proper release strategy, chhoti films ke saath bahut sautela vyavhaar hota hai,” he says.

Siddiqui further rues the lack of similar opportunities for every filmmaker. “Aaj ki date mein theatres sirf paise-waalon ka ho gaya hai; unki monopoly ho gayi hai. OTT platforms, though, have brought in a democratic culture (vis-a-vis showcasing films). Now, our films also get picked up and showcased as prominently. Otherwise, chhoti filmon ka bahut bura hashr hota hai. Also, we are getting some fantastic talent — including great actors and directors — due to the OTT space,” he says.

The actor, who recently travelled to Dehradun from his village Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, is happy to spend time with his niece, nephews and brother. “Mujhe koi shikaayat nahi hai about the lockdown. In fact, I look at it as a time where I’m getting to watch great cinema, and some fantastic actors,” adds Siddiqui.

Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 30, 2020)

It’s no secret that Coronavirus has hit the economy hard. But one sector seems to have bucked the trend and is actually flourishing – the OTT sale [of Hindi films] in India. With theatres closed since March-end, many Bollywood films have gone straight to streaming platforms. The ‘official’ list includes Gulabo Sitabo, Shakuntala Devi, Dil Bechara, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and Ghoomketu.

But a handful of films such as Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi starring Akshay Kumar and the Kabir Khan-directed ’83 featuring Ranveer Singh are still sticking to the ‘70mm first’ policy. “Sure, these are difficult times, but certain films deserve the big screen experience. However, this is not to say that we are against the OTT culture. As far as Sooryavanshi and ’83 are concerned, we’re ready to wait till the end of the year. If things aren’t better by then, we will see what to do. Every one of us – Ranveer, Akshay, the directors – are on the same page,” says Shibasish Sarkar, group chief executive officer, content, digital and gaming, Reliance Entertainment.

Other films unlikely to go the OTT way for now include Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, Coolie No 1, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Bunty Aur Babli 2, Brahmastra and Maidaan. “Right now the box office may be zero, but I strongly feel the charm of the big screen isn’t going anywhere. There may be a pause but I’m sure the theatre business will be back with a bang,” contends exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi.

Meanwhile, there’s a long line-up of films believed to be set for an OTT premiere. And it includes Kumar’s Laxmmi Bomb, Ajay Devgn-starrer Bhuj: The Pride of India, The Big Bull, Sadak 2, Khuda Haafiz and Lootcase. Some others that may also hit OTT screens first are Chhalaang, Ludo, Jhund, Khaali Peeli, Mimi, Indoo Ki Jawani, Roohi Afzana and Shershaah.

While Sadak 2 producer Mukesh Bhatt feels he is “compelled” to go on a digital platform first as that’s the “best I can do to survive”, Maidaan maker Boney Kapoor says, “OTT platforms can be a big blessing [for producers whose films are ready] as they can easily recover their investments.” Trade analyst Taran Adarsh explains: “This is just a phase, it shall pass too. How long can a producer wait especially if it’s not clear when cinema halls will open again? Having said that, the magic of the big screen will never fade. So, let’s not lose hope.”

Kapoor adds, “In the long run, there will be enough and more content once theatres reopen.”

STREAMING SOON ON AN OTT SCREEN

- Laxmmi Bomb

- Sadak 2

- Shakuntala Devi

- Dil Bechara

- Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl

- Bhuj: The Pride of India

WAITING FOR THE BIG SCREEN AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU

- Sooryavanshi

- ’83

- Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai

- Laal Singh Chaddha

- Coolie No. 1

- Maidaan (All release plans are subject to change)

As Ghoomketu opens to mixed response on ZEE5, Nawazuddin Siddiqui laments that quality of Indian web offerings is dipping; praises Anurag Kashyap for raising the bar with his outings
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 25, 2020)

Among the first to dabble in digital entertainment in India, Nawazuddin Siddiqui was pleased when his long-delayed film Ghoomketu was acquired for a direct-to-web release. Even as the comedy received a mixed response, the actor is glad that it reached a wide audience owing to its release on Zee5. "I have only chased interesting stories, and Ghoomketu was one of them. It doesn't matter whether the story is being told on an OTT platform, television or on the big screen," he says.

Siddiqui placed his faith in digital entertainment early on as he headlined Sacred Games, arguably among India's finest web offerings. Happy as he is that OTT platforms are steadily rising to give theatres a run for their money, he notes that the quality of offerings has dipped. "If you study the [OTT] market, there are all kinds of work on offer. While there are brilliant films and shows, I also unfortunately see some below-average work from India on these platforms. The [streaming] services have a wide reach and must be respected."

The actor, however, is confident that the medium will flourish as long as filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap raise the bar with their offerings. "It was Sacred Games that put us on the map. Even if I stand on the streets of New York, people recognise me as a Sacred Games actor. People don't give him enough credit, but Anurag Kashyap has played a big role in changing Indian cinema. He encouraged directors to stay true to their roots and tell stories of the heartland. That's when stories set in Meerut and Kanpur started making their way [to the silver screen]."

Bollywood has shown countless number of films of struggling actors, and a few on struggling directors as well. The long-delayed film Ghoomketu, which releases today on Zee5, focuses on the life of a struggling writer. Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead role, this film boasts of some very interesting characters but the direction and overall writing doesn’t exploit their potential to the fullest.

The story of the movie: Ghoomketu (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), 31, lives in the village of Mahona, Uttar Pradesh with his family – father (Raghubir Yadav), Santo Bua (Ila Arun), step mother Shakuntala Devi (Archana Shukla), uncle Guddan Chacha (Swanand Kirkire) and wife Janki Devi (Ragini Khanna). He wishes to be a writer and goes to the office of the local newspaper Gudgudi for a job. But the chief editor Ramanath Joshi (Brijendra Kala) taunts him for his lack of experience and instead advises him to write for films. After mulling over it, Ghoomketu decides to run away to the city of dreams. He’s close to Santo Bua and he tells only her about his plan. She decides to keep it a secret. Ghoomketu arrives in Mumbai and manages to get a place to stay, that too, in a tailor shop. The shop is owned by a corrupt inspector Badlani (Anurag Kashyap) whose lack of interest in the job and desire to get bribes has landed him in trouble. Back in Mahona, Ghoomketu’s parents complain to the cops. Guddan Chacha knows the local leader well who puts pressure on Mumbai Police to find Ghoomketu anyhow.

We have often seen films where the first 5 or even 10-15 minutes are spent in setting the mood and introducing the viewers to the world through voiceovers. The scenes might seem a bit random here but are shown to establish characters and their traits. Now, imagine if 80% of the film is on those lines? That’s Ghoomketu for you. Most scenes are just randomly stitched together. That wouldn’t have been a problem if these scenes were entertaining or funny. Alas, most scenes don’t impress. There’s a track of Ghoomketu trying his hand in writing comedy, sci-fi, horror, romantic films, and how he fails to do justice. The makers could have gone crazy but they failed. In one scene, Nawazuddin is asked to play the role of an alien as an extra. Again, the scene had immense potential and ends in a horrible way! Ghoomketu’s struggle is never shown properly. As soon as he lands in Mumbai, he manages to meet a big-shot producer (Rajendra Sethi) who patiently reads all his scripts and gives feedback. If only life was so easy! He also easily finds a place to stay and also a helpful neighbour (Deepika Deshpande Amin). Hence, one doesn’t feel connected to the goings-on as it’s very unconvincing. On the positive side, the film starts off very well with the intro bird song being impressive. At a few places, the film does raise genuine laughs.

Talking of performances, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is very sincere and likeable as the simpleton. The film might disappoint but he won’t. Ila Arun is sweet and does a fine job. The sequence where she demonstrates how she’ll express shock and sadness over Ghoomketu’s disappearance is cute. Raghubir Yadav is dependable as always. Swanand Kirkire is fine and it’s sad that his track was wasted and had nothing much to do. Brijendra Kala dominates the introduction sequence and overall, he’s too good. Anurag Kashyap is quite entertaining. He even gets an entry song to himself. Hence, one feels let down when his character gets a raw deal towards the end. Deepika Deshpande Amin is excellent as expected. Rajendra Sethi is passable. Archana Shukla and late Razzak Khan don’t get much scope. The actor who plays property agent and Arnold Schwarzenegger fails to impress as his scene will go bouncer. Yuvraj (Roshan, the tea boy) and Veer Vadan (Tinku Badlani) are fine. Ragini Khanna has a special appearance and her track is very bizarre.

The film has numerous cameos. Amitabh Bachchan has the maximum screen time amongst these actors and is great. Chitrangda Singh is impressive. Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha fail to do justice due to bad writing. Nikkhil Advani and Anvita Dutt are alright. Lauren Gottlieb is sizzling but her item song comes up randomly, like most things in the film.

Sneha Khanwalkar and Jasleen Royal's music is okay. The bird song (sung by Jasleen Royal) is beautiful. The item song and Badlani track are forgettable. Zubin Balaporia's background score is subtle. Satya Rai Napaul's cinematography (additional cinematography by Ravi K Chandran and Dhimant Vyas) is sans complaints. Diana Irani's costumes (for Nawazuddin) is appealing and realistic. Sonali Bhatia's production design is in sync with the film’s theme. Vaibhav Animation's bird song animation is arresting. Pushpendra Misra and Kratika Adhikar's editing is nothing great.

Pushpendra Nath Misra's story sounds very promising on paper. But Pushpendra Nath Misra's screenplay plays spoilsport. A few scenes are well stitched but most of them are not and just come about anyhow. Pushpendra Nath Misra's dialogues are also nothing memorable.

Pushpendra Nath Misra's direction is fine only in a couple of sequences. In most parts, the film has no proper flow. Also, it pains to see he had such great characters and the setting of cinema. But he just lets it go. For instance, he introduces elements like Santo Bua’s gigantic ‘dhakaar’ (belching) which could have been utilized so well. Similarly, Guddan Chacha’s flashback is shown in a dramatic way. Moreover, when Ghoomketu is given a place to stay in a tailoring shop, one expects that it’ll be well utilized. Also, he had not got a decent bed to sleep and again, one hopes this angle will be introduced while showing his struggle. But the director does nothing about these bits and just lets it go waste!

On the whole, Ghoomketu boasts of promising plot, quirky characters and fine performances. But the writer-director fails to make good use of it. The end result is a film with random scenes put together. A waste of a good opportunity!

My rating - ** out of 5!

After Ghoomkhetu, producer of Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Bole Chudiyan confirms negotiating with OTT platforms
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 20, 2020)

A steady spike in cases in the country coupled with the fourth phase of a nation-wide lockdown is testimony that people are less likely to return to leisure activities like movie-watching in the near future. Citing the development, the makers of Bole Chudiyan have joined the growing list of film professionals seeking a web release of their offerings. "Cinema is a great medium, but, it doesn't seem like theatres will start functioning within the next six months," says co-producer Rajesh Bhatia of the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer, adding that should cinemas open to public sooner, people will still be apprehensive about visiting them out of fear of contracting the infection. "We are hence open to the idea of an OTT release. If the film beams to 200 countries, we think that's a great [deal] for the right price."

The development comes close on the heels of mid-day's report stating that Siddiqui's Ghoomketu had been picked up by ZEE5 for a web release. This makes Bole Chudiya the actor's second offering to hit the web platform amid the pandemic. Bhatia cites obligations towards their investors as another reason behind the decision. "We are responsible to our investors. [We must] meet a timely release, and generate revenue. Cash flow needs to be generated [and directed towards] forthcoming productions"

The unit is currently in an advance stage of negotiation with web platforms, he says.

Ghoomketu director Pushpendra Misra on why the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer, which was stuck in the cans for five years, is relevant even today
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 18, 2020)

It has been a five-year wait for director Pushpendra Misra to see his labour of love come alive on screen. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Anurag Kashyap-starrer Ghoomketu, which has been lying in the cans since 2015, has been acquired by Zee5 and will have its world premiere on May 22.

"I won't lie, I did feel bad when my film was stuck for so long. One tends to have doubts when such things happen, but I never doubted [the worth of] my movie," says Misra, whose comedy was delayed due to financial constraints.

The filmmaker believes that his story about an aspiring writer hoping to realise his dreams in Mumbai, remains relevant even today. "I think now is the right time to release the movie because people's taste has evolved. One of the reasons why it was held up [for so long] could be because it was a heartland story. But of late, they have been loved by the audience. Since Ghoomketu is not a formula film, it has stayed relevant even five years after it was made."

Siddiqui's affinity for brooding characters is well-known. But the actor has a surprise up his sleeve. "He has great comic timing and brings a fresh approach to the story," says Misra.

Today, as he awaits the release of Ghoomketu, the filmmaker is also armed with the confidence of having delivered the much-loved Netflix series, Taj Mahal 1989. "[The success of] Taj Mahal boosted my confidence. Now, it has become easier for me to pitch scripts. It helps to have such a big show on the platform because your reach widens."

With Gulabo Sitabo and Shakuntala Devi going the OTT way, many films are likely to follow suit. We talk to industry experts and actors about the same
HINDUSTAN TIMES (May 15, 2020)

It goes without saying that the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown has dealt a severe blow to Bollywood’s business. And with no clarity in sight about theatres re-opening in the near future, it seems filmmakers have started to consider releasing their relatively smaller movies directly on OTT platforms. In fact, the first ones off the hook — officially speaking — are Shoojit Sircar-directed Gulabo Sitabo, Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Ghoomketu and Vidya Balan-starrer Shakuntala Devi.

Not just that, there have been talks that a number of other films such as Laxmmi Bomb, Jhund, Ludo, and Roohi-Afzana among others may also go the OTT way. Raj Nidimoru of director duo Raj & DK likens the situation to a stock market, as he says, “Filmmakers are waiting, and we don’t know when theatres are going to open up and when the graph is going to go high. So do you take the plunge or do you have the money to hold on?”

Trade expert, Taran Adarsh says the “industry is divided on this as exhibitors may not like it.” He adds, “I understand that the producers may be feeling the pinch vis-à-vis their investments but theatres will open soon.” Producer Bhushan Kumar admits OTTs may be a “viable option for smaller films but big-budget, tent-pole movies can’t do their entire recovery [of budgets] just from them.”

For the uninitiated, theatres have been shut since March. Exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi feels that a producer is “totally free to take a call, which is in his best interest”. “That way, exhibitors-distributors are also free to do that. The question isn’t about the next two quarters but of the coming 20 years’ relationship. You need to be a visionary and not trader at this point,” he says.

However, Alok Tandon, CEO, INOX Leisure Ltd, says, “In these times, we want the entire ecosystem to show solidarity and value each other’s significance, and not behave like fair-weather friends.” But Aparna Acharekar - programming head - ZEE5, which is set to release Ghoomketu, says, “You have to be where the consumer is. The industry doesn’t define where they want to be, consumers make the industry.”

Trade analyst Girish Johar feels this transition was set to happen in two years but has happened in three months.

Actors’ talk!
Actors, on their part, feel “makers know and will do what’s best for their films.” As Kiara Advani, who stars in Laxmmi Bomb and Shershaah, puts it: “There are certain films, which are meant for only a cinematic experience, while others can go on OTTs.” On the other hand, Kriti Sanon admits she will be “sad” if her new film, Mimi were to release on OTT. “We are all watching stuff on OTT platforms [during lockdown], but I feel it still doesn’t reach the masses. I want Mimi to reach the masses. And it’s also a beautiful film,” she said in an interview.

GHOOMKETU, GULABO SITABO OFFICIALLY MOVE TO DIRECT-TO-DIGITAL

Since the past few weeks, there have been discussions going around about films which might skip theatrical release and arrive directly on OTT, due to the Coronavirus-induced lockdown. Due to the pandemic, the theatres have been shut and there doesn’t seem to be any clear answer on when it’ll be allowed to function. Even if cinemas are given the go-ahead to open, they might have to adhere to norms like alternate seats being kept vacant, deep cleaning after each show etc which would have led to reduced shows and reduced footfalls. Hence, many filmmakers decided to toy with the idea of taking their film directly on OTT.

The names of several films were tossed around but none of them made it official. However, in the past few days, two films finally admitted about their OTT plans. The first one was the long-delayed Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Ghoomketu. The talented actor plays a struggling writer in this flick which features cameos by Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Amitabh Bachchan and others. The film now releases on Zee5 on May 22, which is also the Eid weekend. That this film skipped theatrical release is not a surprise. Even in normal times, it would have been tough for it to get sufficient shows and who knows, even if the pandemic had not happened, it would have still made it to digital platform.

Today morning, the makers of Gulabo Sitabo ended weeks of speculations by revealing that their dramedy is indeed releasing on Amazon Prime. It stars Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana and is set in Lucknow. Directed by Shoojit Sircar, the film seemed to be in the zone of his 2015 classic Piku. Hence, the hype for the film was sizeable among the multiplex audiences and the film would have, as a result, opened very well. Not to forget, Ayushmann Khurrana’s films are working big time and hence, his pairing with Big B would have added to the excitement. Sadly, the film didn’t have studio support and it must have been difficult for the makers to hold the release and thereby bear the increasing costs. So, they must have taken this tough decision.

The release of Ghoomketu and Gulabo Sitabo would not raise lot of eyebrows as there are still quite smaller films with major appeal in multiplexes of 10-15 cities. But when a biggie, of the size of Laxmmi Bomb, arrives online directly is when a huge controversy will erupt. Here’s hoping the bigger films and even the mid-sized films which are backed by studios don’t take the OTT bait and instead wait for cinemas to open!

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; January 2, 2015)

Anurag Kashyap-led Phantom Films has acquired several small budget films in the last few years but has often struggled to release them on the big screen. If the latest buzz is to be believed, it is now scouting for a production partner for the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Ghoomketu after failing to persuade distributors to release the film.

Says a source, “The film’s shoot was wrapped up long ago but there are certain hurdles in the way of its release. None seems interested to buy the film and so, they are now trying to find a big fish (big production house) who can facilitate its release.”

Ghoomketu has been directed by ad filmmaker Pushpendra Misra and stars Nawazuddin, Anurag and Ragini Khanna. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan, along with Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha will be seen in cameo roles in the film.

Anurag was not available for comment.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 17, 2014)

Not many know that the acclaimed actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and reputed lyricist Swanand Kirkire are batchmates from the National School of Drama. Ghoomketu is an upcoming Bollywood comedy film which features Nawazuddin as the protagonist. Interestingly, Swanand is playing his chacha in the film. We learnt that Nawaz has been teasing his old friend Swanand that he will one day play his father. Of course, Swanand was not ready to accept that and told him in return, “I will play your younger brother next.” We will wait and watch if the equation changes between the batchmates.

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; January 22, 2014)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays an aspiring actor in his film, Ghoomketu, and during the narration of the film’s script, he was inspired to add some catchy one-liners of his own to the script. A source says, “Nawazuddin was amused by some of the lines being chalked out for the film’s promotion and before we knew it, he volunteered to write some one- liners as well. The crew then discussed it with the marketing team and they were only happy to see Nawaz take this initiative.”

So excited are the film’s makers by this development that they plan to approach the Truck Owners’ Association in a bid to request them to dress their bumpers with these lines. “Nawaz is currently working on some catchphrases such as Has maat pagli pyaar ho jayega; Aapno se savdhan; Meri chalti hai toh teri kyun jalti and so on. Once he finishes writing them, the makers will share it with truck owners.”

A spokesperson for the film confirmed this news.