COVID-19 will change filmmaking and viewing experience, says Shoojit Sircar

coronavirus led shutdown is going to change way films are made or consumed, believes filmmaker Shoojit Sircar. country is currently under lockdown, which has been extended till May 3 to contain spread of virus that has affected many countries across globe. 

When a change of mindset happens, re is a change. I expect it around world. It is definitely going to change narrative of filmmaking style and also narrative of story-telling. It will have an effect but what kind is difficult to say as India is huge in terms of consumption, director told PTI.

Referring to demand for good content from audience, Shoojit said cinema was already undergoing a transformation in India but lockdown may accelerate process.

re is a cinema that was changing in India but w it will take a deeper impact. I hope that we are able to see good cinema content. With all shootings and releases on a standstill, streaming platforms are only source of entertainment for many who are staying home, which has led to a boom in digital content, director said.

Maybe in lockdown period, people got into habit of watching movies at home. Digital, may have a boom or is still booming when we get real numbers. y must be doing well because that is only consumption left at this moment. So all this impact will happen and film industry will t get an excuse or will t escape from this kind of crisis that world is going through.

director said it is difficult to gauge exact impact of lockdown and pandemic on cine-goers. Even if lockdown is over by a month or two, it will take some time to gain confidence of audience back because people are watching (content) at home rar than going to a riskier place. It will be a general mindset.

If you ask me, that will be my mindset too. If I am t able to go to atres confidently and watch a film n I don't expect people to watch my film also. It doesn't seem logical that in next three-four months at least things will be smooth in terms of cinema watching, he added.

Shoojit had two films lined up for release - Gulabo Sitabo set to arrive in cinema halls on April 17. film reunites Ayushmann Khurrana with Shoojit, eighth years after ir hit, "Vicky Dor" and also features megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Ar release was Vicky Kaushal starrer Sardar Udham Singh for January 2021.

Set in Luckw, "Gulabo Sitabo is billed as a quirky family comedy, penned by Sircar's longtime collaborator Juhi Chaturvedi. y have worked toger on "Vicky Dor", "Piku" and "October". I had a film Gulabo Sitabo' to be out this month (April) but it is definitely going to get postponed. While for ar film (Sardar Udham Singh') editing was going on, we have stopped it when lockdown was anunced. We are waiting whenever it opens and we will restart work on it.

It is too early to say anything. entire industry needs to come toger and sit. It will be a bottle-neck jam.

Shoojit, meanwhile, is keeping himself occupied by cooking in this lockdown period. I am cooking. That is also most creative work. I have developed this habit for a few years and I enjoy it. I am doing general household work, reading a bit and less of movie watching. I am watching a lot of documentaries of all kinds. Documentary films have always been my passion, I have done documentaries.

director said it is hard to accomplish something creative at a difficult time like this. I am taking it as it comes. I will have eugh time to do that when lockdown opens. My mindset is t re, it is around world like what is happening.

In this kind of situation sometimes your mind also doesn't work as freely as we can. So I am keeping it way it is flowing with world way world is going through. Shoojit said it is t necessary that one has to always stay occupied with work. 

I am trying t me, a lot of people. We all have a habit of doing something or or, first time I have got chance of t doing something all time. one lesson that I am taking is you don't have to do everything or a lot of things or a lot of thinking, just let you mind be sometimes blank also.