#KIFF2021: Debate on digital influence on film language heats up at Cine Adda

Are digital platforms changing the language of films? This sparked a debate at the 26th Kolkata Film Festival on Sunday. The gathering at the Cine Adda was nothing short of a galaxy of stars with Dhrubo Banerjee, Abir chatterjee, Arjun Chakraborty, Haranath Chakraborty, Arijit Dutta, Sourav Chakraborty, Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Anindita Bose, Ishaa Saha, Sauraseni Moitra and Riddhi Sen in attendance.

Filmmaker Dhrubo said, “There is no conflict across platforms. Ever since the World Wars, cinema has been threatened by TV, VCR etc. But nothing changed,” he said. Abir, on his part, pointed out that as an actor, he would like to reach out to more people and he would also like to explore every medium. “In our industry, there is no clear demarcation between the artistes of different platforms, be it OTT, TV or film. So, why not?” he said.

While Arjun Chakrabarty and Riddhi Sen reasoned that a film like Inception cannot be enjoyed on the small screen, Sourav Chakroborty said that the digital platform has increased the shelf life of a film. “The OTT platforms undoubtedly gained prominence during the lockdown and now, one can’t avoid it,” said Ishaa Saha.

Echoing a similar sentiment, actress Sauraseni said, “Digital platforms have brought many more global contents to our reach, which is awesome.”

The panel finally reached to a conclusion that digital platforms and films are complementary to each other. It has helped expand the talent pool from across the country.