Renowned filmmaker Aanand L Rai is venturing into the digital realm with a romance-drama series, marking his debut in the OTT space. Known for heartwarming films like Tanu Weds Manu and Raanjhanaa, Rai aims to bring a fresh perspective to the OTT landscape, as he shared with PTI during an interview at FICCI Frames 2024.
Acknowledging the prevalence of mystery and thriller genres on OTT platforms, Rai expressed a desire to offer something distinct to viewers. “There are people making fantastic thrillers and mystery series, but I would love to do something different,” he stated.
While maintaining secrecy about the project, Rai confirmed that his debut series will delve into themes of love and drama. “This year you can expect (the show) but I won’t reveal much about it. All I can say is, I’ll be dealing with romance and drama,” he disclosed.
Rai admitted to a learning curve in adapting to the streaming format, emphasizing the differences between film and series storytelling, particularly in character development and long-term plot arcs in the latter.
In addition to his OTT venture, Rai’s upcoming directorial project, “Tere Ishq Mein,” reunites him with actor Dhanush after their successful collaborations in Raanjhanaa and Atrangi Re. This new film will explore the complexities of love and rage. Rai is also riding the wave of success with his recent production, the Marathi film “Jhimma 2,” which emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2023.
Transitioning to the film domain, Rai is set to commence shooting for his upcoming directorial project “Tere Ishk Mein” in mid-2024. This movie represents the third collaboration between Rai and actor Dhanush, following their work together on “Raanjhanaa” (2013) and “Atrangi Re” (2021). While “Raanjhanaa” depicted the tale of “two different people from two different worlds,” “Tere Ishq Mein” is set to delve into the themes of “love and rage,” as shared by Rai.
