Sanjay Leela Bhansali: OTT brings freedom; you are not constantly under the pressure of box office performance – Exclusive |

Known for his grandeur and opulent storytelling in films like ‘Padmaavat’ and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi,’ Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s transition to the digital realm with ‘Constitution: The Diamond Bazaar’ has been a topic of much anticipation and curiosity.
Reflecting on this shift, Sanjay Leela Bhansali in his exclusive conversation with ETimes shared, “OTT platform bring a lot of freedom to create what you want.You are not constantly under the pressure of box office performancewhere your future career depends on the success or failure of your work.”

This newfound freedom has allowed Bhansali to delve deeper into storytelling without the looming anxiety of box office numbers. However, the filmmaker acknowledges that the world of OTT is not devoid of its own pressures. “Of course, success and failure exist in this medium as well. If people appreciate it, then very good; they binge-watch, that’s great. If they watch it a second time, that’s even better,” he noted. The success of a series on an OTT platform is often measured by engagement and repeated viewership, rather than opening weekend statistics.

Bhansali expressed his hope for ‘Heeramandi’ to achieve such success, stating, “Normally, people don’t watch a series twice, at least that’s what I have heard, though I’m not too familiar with it. However, I hope that ‘Heeramandi’ becomes so successful that people watch all the episodes again.”

In the same conversation, Sanjay Leela Bhansali elaborates on the significance of audience engagement, “Whether people binge-watch or watch in segments, it’s important to me that they watch.” He says that the main point is that people should watch it, and witness the project made, and it doesn’t matter what the medium is.
He further reflects, “Every artist wants their talent to be seen, appreciated, or even criticized. Criticism is also a part of an artist’s growth and life.”