Producer Anand Pandit expresses concern for small-budget films after lockdown

Producer Anand Pandit has expressed concern for small-budget films once the lockdown is lifted. Pandit believes the industry needs to show solidarity so that these films can sail smoothly.

“Due to the backlog of films awaiting release, we will have to be more united as an industry and see how all films are benefited and not just a few," Pandit said. "This is the time when the big-budget films will have to be more considerate towards smaller projects. Clashes at a point like this, once the pandemic is over, will definitely mean ruin for the smaller films being released on the same weekend [as a big-budget film].”

Pandit has two films lined up for release after the lockdown ends — Chehre and The Big Bull. Directed by Rumi Jaffery, Chehre brings Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi together for the first time. The Big Bull, which is directed by Kookie Gulati, has Abhishek Bachchan in the lead. The film is based on a share-market scam and is co-produced by Ajay Devgn.

Pandit is also aware that films being released directly on OTT platforms will be a regularity now. “A large number of films might resort to online releases," he said, "much like in the case of Extraction (2020), the multi-million-dollar Hollywood film which is now being released on Netflix worldwide in order to not further delay it. We need to comprehend the situation and devise backup plans to salvage the inevitable delay as films that were up for release are definitely going to see a postponement.”