Rajkumar Hirani’s OTT debut: Said- There is bound to be frustration in search of a new story, this restlessness leads to a new story.
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Rajkumar Hirani, who is preparing to bring a serious subject like cyber crime on screen in an entertaining manner, is making his OTT debut with his first web series ‘Pritam and Pedro’. In a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, he talked about the story idea, difference between film and OTT, creative process, audience expectations and the emotional message of the series. Question: How did the idea of the story of ‘Pritam and Pedro’ come about? When did you feel that this story should be made? Answer: This story started with some short stories. I had read some short stories written on cyber crime. From them we understood how cyber crime happens, how it is solved and how it can be prevented. At that time I felt that a big and interesting story could be made on this subject. Then started working on the characters. Gradually the story developed, the setting of Goa came, a crime branch police officer and a hacker were involved. In this way the whole world got ready. Question: Your films often contain a deep message along with humor. Will the audience get to see something like that in this series also? Answer: Look, we always try to entertain the audience first. We do not create a story thinking that we have to convey a message every time. But in the story related to human relationships and society, some things automatically come to the fore. It is the same in this series also. It is a cyber crime story, but told in a light and entertaining manner. There is a small message at the end of the story, but it will not seem imposed. Question: What is the biggest difference between writing stories for films and OTT? Answer: There are some stories which you can tell in two or two and a half hours, but some stories require more time. OTT gives you the opportunity to delve deeper into characters, expand on their journey, and run multiple tracks simultaneously. This freedom is less in films. That’s why some stories are more suitable for web series. Question 4: What new will be seen in humor this time? Answer: Humor always comes from the characters. The behavior and thinking of the new characters is also different. In this series, ‘Pedro’ is a character who has his own world. The humor comes from the way he talks to people and looks at and solves cases. Question: How did Goa become a part of this story? Answer: Interestingly, initially the story was not set in Goa. We wrote the first draft keeping Haryana in mind. But later Abhijeet and I went to Goa to write. The atmosphere, people and experiences there seemed different, due to which the story gradually changed and finally it was set in Goa. Sometimes the place itself changes the story. Question: Is there any incident of shooting in Goa which you still remember? Answer: An interesting incident happened that one of our assistants got in a holiday mood as soon as he reached Goa. One night he went for a walk with his friend’s car and returned in the morning with the car in a bad condition. The funniest thing was that the next day he was sitting as if nothing had happened. Then I understood that Goa is a place where the story starts forming on its own. Question: How much importance do you give to the suggestions of the actors and team on the set? Answer: Cinema is completely teamwork. This is not the work of any one person. You write the story, but then the camera, music, direction and actors together make it better. Every person brings his own perspective. The more openly you take everyone’s opinion, the better your work gets. Question: The audience’s expectations from your films are very high. Does it feel pressured? Answer: It is more of a challenge than pressure. Every time you have to find a new story. I believe that films are not something that people want to watch the same way again and again. It is important to give something new every time. For this reason, there is constant thinking about what new should be done about the script. Sometimes there is frustration also. Seems like I can’t find the right idea. But when any part of the story is revealed, his happiness is equally great. Writing is a work that never ends. You stop working, but your mind remains engaged in the story. Sometimes the search for a new story doesn’t even let you sleep. Question: If you had to describe ‘Pritam and Pedro’ in one line, what would you say? Answer: This is a story of two completely different people who come together. Through them we show the world of cyber crime. It is a heart-warming story full of entertainment, relationships and a beautiful journey.
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