Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has spoken up about the perception that small- and mid-budget films are no longer commercially viable in Indian cinema. The director, whose courtroom drama Assi is running in theatres, said that mid-budget films have the best chance of being profitable in India right now.
Anubhav Sinha on small-budget films
In 2022, after the release of his thriller Anek, Anubhav had argued that small and mid-size films should have a limited theatrical release, followed by a short OTT release window. However, in a recent interview with Mid-Day, the filmmaker said he had changed his mind. “I’m saying the exact opposite today. The future is this size (of films). Mid-size, medium budget, and high-concept films have the highest chance of a good ROI (return on investment),” the director clarified.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a general consensus that it is harder to bring audiences to theatres, and most argue that only big films featuring superstars can do so. However, the success of several mid-budget films like 12th Fail and HanuMan in this time has poked holes in this theory. Anubhav says he has nothing against big-budget films, but he finds mid-budget cinema more relatable. “I love Rajkumar Hirani and Rohit Shetty films as a viewer. But as a filmmaker, this is all I want. So, I will fight for my and my peers’ right to make films we believe in,” the filmmaker added.
Anubhav Sinha on Assi
Before the release of Assi, Anubhav had spoken to Hindustan Times about how correct marketing and larger promotional budgets could help smaller films like Assi. “If these films had twice or thrice as much budget to promote them, our jobs would be much easier. The audience is waiting for Assi, not specifically Assi, the film, but a film like Assi. On the previous occasions, we didn’t serve it to them conveniently,” he had said.
Assi is a courtroom drama starring Taapsee Pannu and Kani Kusruti as a lawyer and a rape survivor, respectively. Apart from Taapsee and Kani, Assi boasts of a strong ensemble cast featuring Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Kumud Mishra, Supriya Pathak, and Manoj Pahwa, along with cameos by Naseeruddin Shah and Divya Dutta. Produced by T-Series, the film released in theatres on 20 February. Despite largely positive reviews and praise for the performance, Assi has had a lukewarm start, earning ₹2.6 crore net domestically in its first two days.
