After a film like Maharaj which launched Aamir Khan's son Junaid in the industry as an actor Siddharth P Malhotra is helming a real-life love story. He's set to bring the untold love story of legendary actor Meena Kumari and filmmaker Kamal Amrohi on the big screen.
About the anticipated film, he says, “My upcoming project, Kamal and Meena, is a highly commercial film. Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi’s love story is full of drama, passion, and larger-than-life moments. It’s anything but an art house film or a conventional biopic. It’s an intense and engaging love story that will captivate audiences.”
While Maharaj was an OTT release, Malhotra is excited that this one will hit the big screen, which will be followed by another Bollywood potboiler. He says, "I’ll be announcing another film very soon, perhaps in a month or so. And trust me, it’s the most commercial film I’ve taken on so far! When it’s announced, people will definitely be surprised and say, ‘Wow, Sid is doing this? That sounds like fun!’ I come from a film family, with my grandfather being Premnath, so commercial cinema is in my DNA."
He continues, “Maharaj was, in fact, a very commercial film. Just because it released on an OTT platform and didn’t have a theatrical run doesn’t mean it wasn’t a commercial success. It reached over 21 million views, which is a testament to its popularity.”
The filmmaker who’s earlier worked on TV shows and on movies took a plunge into the world of web shows as the creator and creative producer of the show, Doctors. Talking about how well he resonated with the long storytelling format, he said, "My work in television has been as a producer, where I’ve overseen more than 30-40 shows. Similarly, while I’ve directed films, I haven’t directed an OTT series yet. However, I have been actively producing long-format content, including around 7-8 OTT shows. When it comes to storytelling, whether short or long format, I believe the story itself dictates its ideal structure. Some narratives are best told within a couple of hours, while others require the depth and space that a series format allows.”
He concludes saying, “As a filmmaker, I connect with both formats, as long as the story is compelling and has enough depth to sustain its length. At the end of the day, the medium doesn’t matter as much as the passion behind telling a story. Whether it’s a feature film, a web series, or even a short form reel, what truly matters is believing in the story you’re telling."