Dibakar Banerjee: I tell my stories my way

Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee's new film "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" opens on Friday. He feels be it OTT or theatres, storytellers want maximum eyeballs for their projects. Commenting on whether OTT has now cemented its place in the audience mindset, Dibakar tells IANS: "I think even theatrical producers and directors are deeply cementing their product to what their audience wants to see, so we all want the maximum number of eyes to see us and give us money, fame and power. There is no difference. Therefore, all of us keep an eye out for what the audience wants to see to a lesser or larger extent. In my case, when I want to tell the audience a story, I tell it my way and hope that I can convert more and more people to my way of thinking." Dibakar's film brings back Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra on the silver screen after almost three years. The actor first worked together in the 2012 film "Ishaqzaade" and later worked together in "Namaste England" (2018).Does it become easy to direct co-stars who have worked together earlier? "It doesn't matter," says Dibakar, adding: "It depends on the script, on the energy of the actors, on that film and the energy of the director, and that is all that matters. It doesn't even matter if they have worked together in 15 films."Arjun and Parineeti are known to share a good rapport off-screen. However, Dibakar had to change that situation. "I was trying to break their rapport because in the film I wanted them to be adversaries. So all my attempts went into them not meeting or hanging around with each other!" says the director.
--IANS ym/vnc