Celebrated filmmakers like Shekhar Kapur, Kabir Khan, Neeraj Pandey and Venkat Prabhu, who will make their digital debut on Hotstar Specials, are looking forward to explore the medium to tell extensive stories across different formats, genres and languages and reach out to a wide audience.
Hotstar Specials is the new label launched by OTT player Hotstar, and aims at bringing stories in seven languages — Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Kapur said in a statement: “India is the new platform for global entertainment. I have passionately wanted to create content for India that can go global.
“Not just for 8,000 cinema screens in India, but I wanted to reach out to India’s heartland, to every Indian home within Hotstar’s reach, and with their global ambitions, it is the perfect fit for me.”
Kabir Khan, who helmed Ek Tha Tiger (2012), has worked on a documentary drama around one of the most loved teams in the country with crazy fan following.
Without revealing more, he said: “The show will be available in seven languages, directly connecting with viewers from across India, which makes the endeavour even more special.”
Pandey said the story he has worked upon has been on his mind for a while.
“But I knew I wouldn’t be able to do justice to it in a feature length. It’s a massively mounted narrative that merits the longer series format. A formidable cast and crew are coming together on this one,” he said.
Prabhu is confident that the scope of genres that the platform offers will be too immense and will allure all age groups.
“I have always had distinct perspective on content. It should be enjoyable and at the same time quirkily engrossing,” he said.
Hotstar Specials has already released the teaser of their first big show starring cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni.