Filmmakers must stop treating OTT views like a consolation prize: Nagaraj Somayaji

Nagaraj Somayaji may have just one film to his credit as a director and another as a producer, but he says the insights he has gathered along the way have been eye-opening. Currently working on his next film, Devi Mahatme, the filmmaker speaks about the need for more open conversations within the industry, embracing storytelling over dated formulas, and resisting the urge to rest on past laurels.Excerpts from a conversation:‘OTT applause is not a badge of honour’“Of late, there’s a clear trend where films that don’t get their due in theatres begin to find appreciation only after they land on streaming platforms. So when people texted me saying they loved my film Maryadhe Prashne after watching it on OTT, it didn’t make me gloat with pride. To be fair, I made a decent film. Some felt the climax could have been better — I accept that opinion and I’m open to criticism. But the majority of viewers loved the film after watching it online. I received countless messages calling it wonderful. If that’s the case, why didn’t it receive the same love in theatres? Filmmakers must stop feeling chuffed when people say they liked their movie on OTT. It’s not some great achievement. It doesn’t benefit the director, nor does it offer the producer any monetary compensation. We must stop treating OTT views like a consolation prize,” he says bluntly. ‘There is an obvious ‘mass hero’ temptation here’“Soon after Maryadhe Prashne was released, I received several offers from families where fathers wanted me to launch their sons as mass heroes. The brief was always the same — four fight sequences, five songs, a grand introduction and a punchy interval block. I honestly couldn’t comprehend making such a film. The problem is that everyone wants to jump into the big league the moment they make one film. I don’t want to toe that line. I acknowledge that I move within a commercially well-established circle, but I’m clear about my own path. As a filmmaker, I’m comfortable doing small or medium-budget films for a while. There’s no rush to prove a point by immediately doing something bigger,” he states.‘Support and knowledge sharing is missing in the Kannada film industry’“Beyond box-office pressures and market forces, what bothers me is the lack of collaboration within the industry. When I look at other film industries, I see a lot of support and enthusiasm for fellow actors and directors. That’s not really the case here. Knowledge sharing is almost unheard of, and perhaps we don’t easily tolerate the growth of someone else. That’s why the support I’ve received while working on my upcoming film Devi Mahatme is special. Filmmakers Arvind Kuplikar and Jaishankar Aryar have been helping me through discussions, and it feels genuinely good to receive that kind of backing. This kind of collaborative creative process can only help everyone involved — and ultimately push us towards better, more meaningful filmmaking,” explains Nagaraj.