Corporatisation helps our film industry grow in crisis : Shaad Ali

Mumbai : From assisting filmmaker Mani Ratnam to delivering successful films such as ‘Saathiya’, ‘Bunty Aur Babli’, ‘Soorma’ to the latest web-series ‘Call My Agent: Bollywood’, filmmaker Shaad Ali has observed the transformation in the business of Bollywood with a close-counter.In conversation with IANS, the director opens up on how corporatisation not only helped to create a more organised work culture in the film industry.Shaad said: “I think corporatisation has given our film industry to grow for better and honestly it is the change that also helped us to survive in past crises or even global pandemics very recently. For instance, apart from films now, we have OTT platforms that have given huge exposure and exhibition platforms for our films.”During the pandemic, because of that, we have survived. Now slowly the theatres are opening and people will go back to theatres as well; but now it is the time for coexistence.

“I think it is very interesting how because of the way things are more organised now, not only every story finds its space, but also actors of different generations, of different ages, found their visibility in different platforms.”The show ‘Call My Agent: Bollywood’ is an Indian adaptation of a French show that was also released on Netflix, revolves around the hustle-bustle of a talent management company that are dealing with actors and their egos to maintain their stardom.The show features Aahana Kumra, Soni Razdan, Rajat Kapoor, Ayush Mehta along with several special appearances from Farah Khan Kunder, Huma Qureshi, Jackie Shroff, Nandita Das, Ali Fazal, Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza, among others.”As we know that we had several cameos in our show, it was quite an interesting process to put the right talent at the right point in our narration to bring out the best for the show. Since it is an adaptation of a show that was already popular, we did not change the format but a few things, that are quite typically Bollywood, have been added.”It is a drama-comedy genre so on the set of the show, the energy was quite a happy one. I guess, that somewhere is translating on-screen!.” said Shaad.’Call My Agent: Bollywood’ streams on Netflix.