OTT platform is the next Cinema Hall, says Anjan Aich

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In Bangladesh showbiz circuit, Anjan Aich, being a talented and visionary maker is a household name, who enjoys high esteem for each of his works, be it film or television fiction. During his career for several years, Anjan Aich has created his own position also as a storyteller, whose style of storytelling is distinctive different than others. Anjan Aich is working on the screenplay of a series, which will be released on an international OTT platform next year. Recently, Anjan Aich has accorded an exclusive interview to Blitz. Here are the excerpts:

Blitz: Media insiders say, tomorrow’s entertainment platform and even tomorrow’s cinema hall is OTT platform. What is your opinion?

Anjan Aich: Well, in my point of view, OTT Platform is the next Cinema Hall.

Blitz: Bangla is spoken by over 280 million people only in Bangladesh and India, while there also are large number of Bangla-speaking populace in the world. How big is the market for Bangla contents as far as OTT platforms are concerned?

Anjan Aich: I think OTT Platform in Bangladesh will come out as a big opportunity for everyone. It will take over a much bigger place.

Blitz: You have obtained a Masters degree in Chemistry and landed as a drama and film director. How and why an individual with degree in Chemistry had found direction as his profession?

Anjan Aich: Everything is a chemistry. Drama or Film – at the end of the day all of it is a part of chemistry.

I think OTT Platform in Bangladesh will come out as a big opportunity for everyone. It will take over a much bigger place – Anjan Aich

Blitz: In the recent times, Indian OTT platform Zee5 and HoiChoi are buying Bangla contents from Bangladesh. But critics are saying, for the sake of making a strong position for Bangla contents in the Indian and international OTT platforms, there should be better planning, better budget and OTT-patterned casting. What is your opinion?

Anjan Aich: Basically, a good budget is necessary for a good work. I believe, all of us are very promising. We can produce great content.

Blitz: In your opinion, why should international OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Hulu etcetera should focus on Bangla contents?

Anjan Aich: The Bangladeshi Content creators are very much promising and they could make some extraordinary quality content for OTT Platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney and Hulu if they receive a good budget.

Blitz: In Bangladesh, during the recent years, there has been a revolutionary rise in the number of digital platforms, particularly YouTube channels in Bangladesh. Do you think, YouTube channels are also becoming a solid place for Bangla dramas, web series and web films, especially when return of investment is concerned?

A lot of good works has to be made in Bangladesh. There is no alternative of good work – Anjan Aich

Anjan Aich: Indeed YouTube is a very  potential platform but the fact that it’s  getting filled with cheap contents day by day is scary.

Blitz: There are currently over 40 TV channels in Bangladesh. But the number of dramas produced for TV channels are still circling within only a hand-picked number of channels. What is the reason?

Anjan Aich: TV Channels are not being ran properly in our country.

Blitz: You are a popular film and drama maker in Bangladesh for many years. Your latest Bangla feature film ‘Agamikal’ (Tomorrow) has just been passed by the Bangladesh Film Censor Board. With the challenges posed by the pandemic and most of the theaters shut-down, what is your plan for releasing this film?

Anjan Aich: The first ever film directed by me is ‘Agamikal’ – my dream. Agamikal is going to release on December 10 2021. The film is gonna release in many different countries including USA, UK and Canada.

Blitz: Back in 2016, after a long pause, you brought back Sadia Islam Mou in your TV drama ‘Rupkothar Maa’, which was aired on Ekushey Television. In that drama, Mou played the titular character. The script and direction of the drama were by you. Why an actor of such high stature has not been lately regular on the screen?

Anjan Aich: It’s very difficult to do a good job. Mou is undoubtedly a great actress. It’s the director’s responsibility to utilize an actor/actress properly.

Blitz: Model and actor Azmeri Haque Badhon, who has recently attained great appreciation for her role in ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ has been cast in a number of dramas directed by you. One of the dramas is ‘Obaak Din Raatri’. What is the future of this actor in the contents of OTT platforms?

Anjan Aich: Badhon is a very hardworking actress. She’ll do well on OTT Platforms.

Blitz: As we learned, soon you are going to make dramas, web-series and TV serials for Bangladesh’s leading production company and content provider Crown Entertainment and Crown Creations. What are your planning for such ventures?

Anjan Aich: Crown is a huge production company in Bangladesh. They are coming up with a lot of good works. I think most of the good content creators will work with them. I expect lot more, I expect we’ll do a lot more good works.

The Bangladeshi Content creators are very much promising and they could make some extraordinary quality content for OTT Platforms – Anjan Aich

Blitz: You may have heard about a new production company named Trishul International Limited, which is going to be launched by the end of this year. To our knowledge, this company is going to have its own multiple digital platforms, while it also is going to provide various types of contents such as web-series, web-films and full-length feature films of several international OTT platforms. The entire project is huge involving large sum of money. Do you think, considering the current situation due to pandemic and possible forthcoming economic recession in the world, the inception of a massive project of Trishul International Limited is wrong? If not, would you explain why?

Anjan Aich: Trishul is an international platform. I think Trishul will unite our country and the outside world.

Blitz: Every maker has his or her own dream. Do you have a dream of one day making films in Hollywood or Bollywood?

Anjan Aich: Ofcourse, Hollywood.

Blitz: While contents of many regional languages are becoming popular on OTT platforms, why Bangla contents are still lacking?

Anjan Aich: A lot of good works has to be made in Bangladesh. There is no alternative of good work.

Blitz: As a maker and writer, what are the secrets of Anjan Aich’s success?

Anjan Aich: I haven’t start yet, trying to start. I might give some proof when all my 3 films are released. Agamikal, Kanamachi and Abar are my 3 films.

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