In a recent FICCI event, acclaimed actress Rani Mukerji expressed her views on the significant impact that the blockbuster film ‘Pathaan‘, starring Shah Rukh Khan, has had on the Indian film industry, particularly in the post-pandemic era. Mukerji, while discussing the challenges faced by the industry, lauded the film for reigniting the audience’s passion for cinema and encouraging a return to theatres.
Rani Mukerji on Aditya Chopra’s conviction not to release major films on OTT
Mukerji shared insights into the strategic decisions made by Yash Raj Films (YRF) during the pandemic, specifically highlighting the firm stance taken by Aditya Chopra, YRF’s head, against releasing major films on OTT platforms. Despite the financial allure and the industry trend to pivot to digital releases, Chopra’s belief in the cinematic experience prevailed.
Rani said at the event, “During the pandemic, Adi (Aditya Chopra) had these couple of big films that were to be released. They were those commercial potboilers, which started in the pre-pandemic time. Unfortunately, when the pandemic started, there was a question mark on all the films. And that’s the time when I observed my husband closely because there were no talks of films releasing. There was a lot of pressure on filmmakers to release all these films on OTT and a lot of them were doing that. The biggest films were releasing on OTT. And my husband was completely calm and composed.”
She added, “I would use the word ‘conviction’, that my husband had, and he said, ‘These movies were made for theatricals, for the audiences at large to enjoy. I would want to release these films theatrically.’ He was being offered a lot of money to release it on OTT, which would be a win-win situation for the OTT platform, and for the producers, where he was making a profit by releasing it on OTT.”
Rani Mukerji on how Pathaan changed things for YRF
Rani Mukerji even shared how it was Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan that changed things for Yash Raj Films at a time when stakes were down. She said, “In time when the films came, all of those films flopped because the whole way the audience watched content changed overnight because of OTT. All these films failed at the box office and it took a complete hit commercially because none of the films did well. It was like complete depression. People were sad in our company and the whole conviction that Adi stood with that his movies would be released theatrically. We thought that there would be some divine intervention and that he would be rewarded for his conviction of releasing films theatrically, and everything kind of didn’t work for us. Then came Pathaan. It changed the entire thing forward at Yash Raj. And it became the highest-grossing film.”
(Also read: Kareena Kapoor Khan Showers Compliments On Rani Mukerji, Tabu; says “they are doing better than the younger lot”)
Rani Mukerji on how Shah Rukh’s Pathaan brought people back to theaters
“So when you ask me, what are the things that need to change is, filmmakers need to have more faith in the product that they make, and they should believe in it and stand with each other to make that change. Today, Pathaan stood the test of time and opened the floodgates for people going into cinemas,” the actor added.
The success of ‘Pathaan‘ not only marked a triumph for YRF but also served as a beacon of hope for the entire industry, proving that the theatrical experience still holds a cherished place in the hearts of moviegoers. This sentiment was echoed by Mukerji, who emphasized the film’s role in opening the floodgates for films post-pandemic.
The event highlighted the resilience of the Indian cinema and its ability to bounce back stronger, with ‘Pathaan‘ leading the charge as a testament to the enduring appeal of the big-screen experience.
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