“An OTT series is like shooting a film”: Ritesh Sidhwani

In 2017, when Amazon’s video-on-demand platform — Prime Video — launched ‘Inside Edge’, a series that revolved around controversies circling franchisee cricket, India was yet to have a taste of local premium television. Content creators in India hardly had any experience of creating premium episodic content featuring big Bollywood names as actors or directors.

‘Inside Edge’ was produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Mumbai headquartered studio, Excel Entertainment. The makers of 'Don', 'Dil Dhadakne Do', 'Dil Chahta Hai’ and 'Lakshya' then went on to create more digital originals. ‘Mirzapur’ and ‘Made In Heaven’, created by Indian film production and distribution company, also aired on Prime Video.

Recently, Excel Entertainment announced that its Hindi feature film ‘Fukrey’ will make it to television as an animated series, which will be aired on Discovery Kids, starting October 12, 2019. So, after feature films and originals, is Excel Entertainment eyeing a broadcast entry? Here is what Ritesh Sidhwani, co-founder, Excel Entertainment, had to say... edited excerpts.