MUMBAI: Thriller series ‘Aakhri Sach’ released just two months ago, and has been enjoying praise-worthy viewership and responses. The Tamannaah Bhatia-starrer is produced by Preeti and Neeti Simoes along with Nirvirkar Films. In a recent chat with ETimes, Preeti Simoes revealed how it feels to enter the OTT medium and shared whether she would return to the comedy genre, and if comedy will work on OTT.
About their entry into the web space, Preeti reveals they were aware that they will be competing with big production houses known for making films, while they have been known for comedy. She says, “The journey has started but it’s not going to be easy. I am sure that the perception has changed for us. Though initially we felt that being known as TV producers, it’s not easy to enter OTT.”
Preeti is all praise for Aakhri Sach’s heroine Tamannaah Bhatia calling her “a very sweet girl and extremely professional.” Due to the busy schedule of shooting, Preeti was able to bond more with Tamannaah after the shoot, she shares, “When the dubbing was happening, we bonded, we discussed a lot about the show, and outside the show, and I love her energy.”
After producing popular comedies such as Comedy Circus and The Kapil Sharma Show, Preeti shares whether she would return to the genre and maybe even bring it to OTT. She revealed, “Why will anyone pay to watch this content when they are not even watching it for free on TV? The comedy format is not even working on TV. The ratings have been low, and comedy is something where a family has to sit together and watch.”
She notes that OTT as a medium is different in nature, as people mostly watch alone or with one other person. She says, “A show like this that we have made in the past will not be fitting that criterion. The whole concept of cracking certain kinds of jokes even as a creator we started it, but has now become very boring. Also with the new comedians who have come in and the kind of jokes pork they are doing is the short format. Our consumption and attention to comedy has become 30-second reel-based skits or stand-up. Because of this, I think the long-drawn jokes and dancing around celebrities have become slightly boring not just for us as viewers and creators but also for the celebrities who come. That format is pretty much dead now, and that’s just happened over time because 10 years is a long time to stretch an idea.”
Preeti emphasised that it is time for freshness in the comedy genre, “India has moved on from men dressing up as women and dancing around celebs, it's time for reinvention. Now it’s time to reinvent and do things that are different, with a fresh bunch of talent who will get the freshness in the writing and the way you design the content. So for us to even attempt to recreate that same magic on OTT just to enjoy the announcement buzz will be stupid.”
She mentions how many senior comedians have moved on to doing great work, citing Sunil Grover in ‘Sunflower’, as an example. She says “Spaces have changed and so should we with time.”
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