Director Madhur Bhandarkar"My films are neither Arty nor commercial.".... By Lipika VARMA

Introduction-Fun Family Entertainer,”BABLI BOUNCER “ press conference. -Present were National Award winning Director Madhur Bhandarkar and Tamannaah Bhatia , in a never seen before avatar as the lady,” Babli Bouncer.”

It is a delightful, fun family entertainer. Present along with them were Bikram Duggal - Head of Studios, Disney Star, Amrita Pandey - CEO, Junglee Pictures.

“Babli Bouncer” , to be released on 23rd September 2022 on Disney +Hotstar in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.Elaborate a little about the Babli Bouncer film?

Excerpts - Director Madhur Bhandarkar in a media interaction-

Elaborate a bit of Babli Bouncer?

Babli Bouncer is one such script which will be seen on the Indian screen for the first time. We have mostly seen male bouncers in our industry and other professional spheres too.

But we have never seen a female bouncer in our industry. I got this concept before the Pandemic, this kind of subject or thought I felt this will totally be a different concept.

We often see male bouncers in PUB but nowadays female bouncers are also seen there. So, I decided to work on this script. It could be presented as a funny film or it could be a serious film.

I was working on three subjects then. So I felt the need to serve a comedy entertainment slice of life kind of a family film to the audiences.

So, with my writer Amit Joshi we worked together and the script got ready, we decided to make this film. This is a very cute humorous film. Tamannaah has done a great job as Babli Bouncer.

We have seen this boldness in films like -Tanu Weds Mann,making a women centric film from a small village. Will there be any risk?

I don’t think it's so,especially in today's times when we see different films be it -International/south/Hindi films the content has changed. I think a good story is essentially being told.

Then it need not be a story from big cities or small villges.In this film you'll see a mix of both in this character.You will get to see common aspect in this character.She hails from a village and lands in a big city.

As a storyteller,I have made so many films but I have never looked at my stories bifurcating village and town culture kind.I feel good stories will be loved by the audiences.

I have made original films especially, that happens in our country.After Pandemic the cinegoers taste has changed, so anything with good story will be seen and appreciated by the audiences.

As you say Country has changed.Is it so, you decided to bring this film on OTT?

No it's not so at all.This period will come and go with times.Its not so that film industry is going through a bad phase.I felt this is a perfect film for OTT.

We also have a huge audiences on OTT so we felt this story should be told.If you look at theaters releases and OTT it has blurred now.Good content whether OTT or cinema halls they will watch.

Do you feel it's becoming challenging to pull the audiences into theatres now ?

I have seen this time in the film industry in 1982/83.when piracy had seeped in and people would not go to theatres to watch films This trend has always come in and people felt that the industry will close down.

But now films and OTT co-existed before 2019.Today also a few good films have worked at the box office.Such phases come and disappear in every time zone.

BB looks strong as a commercial film. How challenging was it?

I have grown up watching commercial cinema.I am a huge fan of Manmohanji and have watched commercial film in Gaiety- Galaxy.I have made serious films too but Ialways love making middle of the road kind of films.

My films are neither Arty nor commercial.I am funny in personal life so I thought of making a funny film.I have not made it larger than life kind of a film.

Should a film be made on Madhur Bhandarkar?

It's too early for a film to be made on me. I think we need a little more time, maybe 5 to 6 years..