Anurag Kashyap on why Nishaanchi 2 skipped theatres: 'Had the audience turned up...'

Nishaanchi 2 the sequel to Anurag Kashyap's film, skipped theatres for a direct Prime Video release due to Part 1's box office failure.

Anurag Kashyap; Nishaanchi Part 2

Directly released on Prime Video Nishaanchi 2—the sequel to Anurag Kashyap's most recent venture—arrives two months after its theatrical launch, creating quite a stir. Debutant Aaishvary Thackeray, Vedica Pinto, and Monika Panwar's September film, Nishaanchi, had a lacklustre run at the box office, prompting the decision to move on.

Cliffhanger ending and sequel strategy concerns

The original film left audiences hanging on a cliffhanger, hinting at a potential sequel about identical twins who take different routes through life. Nevertheless, there were concerns regarding the abrupt change in approach when the sequel subtly made its way to OTT (subscribers of OTTplay Premium will also be able to watch the film with a top-up) rather than a theatrical premiere.

When asked about the modification, Kashyap told HT City it was intentional and a team effort. "It was my suggestion and our collective decision between Amazon (producers) and us," the acclaimed filmmaker said.

ALSO READ: Why is Nishaanchi Part 2 direct-to-OTT release, ask netizens who look at Anurag Kashyap's film with new perspective

Blaming Part 1's box office failure for change

After the first installment failed to resonate with audiences, Kashyap blamed the changed release approach. He emphasised that the sequel's distribution to theatres would have been ensured by the original's successful theatrical run.

Kashyap stated, "Had the audience turned up for part 1, there is no way the second part wouldn’t have been released in cinemas," elaborating on the objective of giving viewers a satisfying conclusion. They opted to give people the whole experience because the majority of the reaction was that the film felt incomplete to everyone.

Lack of marketing due to theatrical-OTT window

Significant marketing and promotion was conspicuously absent from the direct-to-OTT rollout. Kashyap said that the film's eight-week required interval between its theatrical debut and digital release was to blame for the low-key rollout.

"No marketing could be done because of the theatre-OTT rule… Theatres don’t allow us to even promote the film or drop it anywhere for eight weeks, and OTT has to do their part of the deal," he explained.

Critique of non-tentpole film treatment

The filmmaker continued by critiquing the current state of the industry, focusing on how films that aren't "tentpole" hits are handled.

"That’s another thing—the theatres themselves don’t adhere to it. They will cancel shows and throw the film out if it doesn’t open, not allowing the word of mouth to build up. That's how they treat non-tentpole films," Kashyap asserted, characterising the relationship with exhibitors as imbalanced.

Gratitude for studio/streaming platform backing

The filmmaker went on to say that throughout his career, he has witnessed exhibitors reject his films, so it's pretty biased. Kashyap concluded by saying, "We were lucky that we had a studio, which also has a streaming platform, producing our film and backing us."

The highly anticipated OTT release of Nishaanchi 2 (subscribers of OTTplay Premium will also be able to watch the film with a top-up) has surprised audiences worldwide, enabling them to immerse themselves in the twin brothers' epic story without waiting for a second theatrical run.

FAQs:

Q: Why was Nishaanchi 2 released directly on Prime Video?

A: Nishaanchi 2 was released directly on Prime Video (subscribers of OTTplay Premium will also be able to watch the film with a top-up) due to the underwhelming box office performance of Part 1 and a desire to give viewers the complete story. Director Anurag Kashyap stated it was a collective decision, suggesting that since the audience didn't turn up for the first part in cinemas, releasing the second part on OTT would provide the "complete experience" that audiences felt was missing from the cliffhanger ending of Nishaanchi.

Q: Who directed Nishaanchi and Nishaanchi 2?

A: Both Nishaanchi and Nishaanchi 2 were directed by Anurag Kashyap.

Q: What is the plot of the Nishaanchi films?

A: The story of the Nishaanchi films revolves around twin brothers and explores the different paths they end up taking in life.

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