The Indian entertainment industry is witnessing a sea of change. Once the exclusive domain of visual storytelling, cinema and TV are seeing increased competition from new-age mediums like OTT platforms, YouTube and Instagram. In the last 5 years, multiplexes have seen challenging times and producers have had to find creative ways to keep up engagement.
In such an environment, Jackky Bhagnani, an actor and the son of noted Bollywood producer Vashu Bhagnani is doing everything he can to revive the sector, even as the viewing habits of young people are changing.
“I think, as a producer, we can’t really change viewers’ habits. Instead, we need to adapt to their evolving preferences. In this era of Instagram and short-form content, it’s clear that people’s attention spans and their patience for storytelling have significantly dropped. Everything now revolves around that quick swipe right or left, and people expect to access content instantly with just a click.
So, when you are making films for them, you have to offer something that feels genuinely experiential. After the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen audiences drawn to films and events that give them that kind of immersive experience, whether it is a horror comedy or something thematically unique.
There are ongoing discussions about high ticket prices keeping people away from theatres, but honestly, I believe the most expensive thing today is people’s time. As a producer, you have to invest time and energy into creating something unique, something that makes people feel their time and money are truly worth it,” he explains.
His production house Puja Films, has been a mainstay in the Hindi Film Industry, producing blockbusters like Biwi No 1 and Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein. Jackky himself made his debut with Kal Kisne Dekha through their own production house in 2009. Even though he has already acted in nine films, he is known for taking on unconventional roles, which allows him to showcase his diverse skill set.
“As an actor, I felt the need to pick unconventional stories. That was the only way I could grab attention. I truly believe that portraying something varied and distinct adds more to your credibility than choosing the usual, safe roles.
All the films I’ve been part of have worked for me in their own way. Take ‘F.A.L.T.U,’ for example. It had a unique concept and wasn’t your typical hero-centric kind of film. Then there was ‘Youngistaan,’ which showed a Prime Minister in a live-in relationship, or ‘Mitron,’ which revolved around a food truck. ‘Rangrezz’ was about three friends, and ‘Welcome to Karachi ‘was in the ‘Dumb and Dumber’ kind of comedic space.
That doesn’t mean I am not going to act again. I always enjoy anything creative. It may sound a bit filmy, but I’d like to say, Jeena yahaan, marna yahaan, iske siwa jaana kahaan. Mujhe aur kuch aata hi nahi. Mujhe film banana aata hai, mujhe kahaniyaan sunani aati hain. That’s what I do, and that’s what I’ll keep doing,” he explains, as he now dons the hat of a producer as well.
This natural progression to becoming a producer has come with challenging decisions, as you have to invest in a story that may or may not be well-received. As a producer, Jackky realised the impact a story can have, especially if it has a relatable background that has been in the public psyche for quite some time.
“Sarbjit (2016) was the perfect amalgamation of art and commerce. That film set a benchmark in terms of what I want a film to achieve. As a producer, it is also very important to balance creativity and artistic courage with economic pragmatism,” he explains his decision to produce Sarbjit, based on the story of a man who unknowingly crossed into Pakistan and died in a jail there, awaiting years of justice.
“I loved the script, but I genuinely felt that no one could play Sarabjit better than Randeep Hooda. I had this strong feeling that I needed to be part of the film, even if not as an actor. That’s how my journey as a producer really began. And from that point on, I’ve felt more empowered,” he explains.
Even though Jackky has seen mixed success with his movies, he remains upbeat about the future.
“As a producer and an actor, I may see both success as well as failure, but I have too much love for cinema and storytelling to become complacent or to give up. I believe in only one thing- ‘The show must go on!’” he quips.
Even though OTT platforms have championed genuine stories over popular movie actors, Jackky believes there is still a lot of potential for unique stories.
“With the advent of OTT platforms, our films can now reach a much wider audience. Sometimes, how a project shapes up can be quite subjective. But what my team and I always focus on is finding amazing, engaging scripts that offer an experiential feel. Then we back them with a strong cast. That is exactly what Puja Films will continue to do,” he explains.
