Aarcflick

OTT platforms are often accused of stifling creative voices, of surrendering to the very formula they once sought to resist by supporting bold, original projects. Take Netflix as the most obvious example. What began with the release of something like Sacred Games (followed by other interesting twists like Leila and Ghoul) soon fell into mediocrity with Bard of Blood, Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, Mismatched, Kota Factory, Class, and Dabba Cartel (the list is long, but you get the idea).  There have been excellent Netflix originals here and there (Kohrra, Guns & Gulaabs, Delhi Crime, Killer Soup, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein), but these have proven to be exceptions, not the norm. To see just how bad things have gotten—how creativity has been taken over by unimaginative, risk-averse studio heads—watch The Ba***ds of Bollywood, a dramedy from the mind of Aryan Khan. Stars: Bobby Deol, Lakshya, Raghav Juyal Directors often debut in a world or material that feels familiar to them, as it hel...