Bhushan Kumar: As a studio, we took the steps that were important to keep the business going at all times

When Bhushan Kumar took charge of his father, Gulshan Kumar’s company, T-Series, he was a young 19-year-old. Today, not only has he turned the company into one of India’s most successful music labels, but he has also earned it the tag of being one of the country’s foremost film production studios. He is currently busy promoting his upcoming films, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui starring Ayushamann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor and Atrangi Re featuring Akshay Kumar, Sara Ali Khan, and Dhanush.Besides that, he’s also been making time to visit the sets of his upcoming films like Shehzada starring Kartik Aaryan and Luv Ranjan’s next with Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in Delhi. In a freewheeling chat with BT, he spoke about the changing avatar of the entertainment business and what has helped him maintain his position despite intense competition and a global health crisis. Excerpts:
While you waited almost two years to release Satyameva Jayate 2 in theatres, you continued to have movie releases via OTT platforms. In short, your company did not have a lean day in the last 20 months. How did you go about doing that?
As a studio, we have always tried to make films that cater to every single bracket of audience in the country. My job is also to ensure my actors and directors are happy to work with me. The encouragement and appreciation they sense from a theatrical run are unmatched.
I didn’t want to take that away from them for the sake of profit. Having said that, the theatrical situation is not what it used to be. Before the second wave hit, we had released Saina and Mumbai Saga, which did nominal business. We took the steps that were important to keep the business going at all times. So now, we have a list of films that will be released in theatres, and some that were pre-committed to OTT platforms will have a direct to digital run.
You are releasing Atrangi Re on an OTT platform and Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui in theatres. What has been your strategy while trying to blend different business models in terms of releasing your films?
All the films on our list were made for a theatrical run, but circumstances have forced us to recalibrate and think wisely about our release strategy. Today, we have 30 ongoing projects and twice as many in different stages of development. The decision to release content on different platforms was to ensure that we keep the audience entertained and we have ample cash flow at the same time for our new ventures. Apart from strong content, we look at the cast we have on board. Releasing a film in a theatre or on an OTT platform is a decision made with experience, gut instinct, and the way a project shapes up, among several other things. We have already started drawing up our plans on what will work better as an OTT release and what can now be released in theatres.
From tackling competition at an early age to becoming a frontrunner in film and music production, what has helped you build and sustain your spot in the business?
My father, Gulshan Kumar, is a source of inspiration for me. Music was in his genes which he passed on to me, and filmmaking was his dream that I am trying my best to fulfil. It was a gradual process. When I started out, I braved competition from domestic players and international companies making big films. That was a tough phase, but I didn’t want to give up. Paisa sab ke paas hota hai, but not the kind of long-standing relationships that I have built and continue to invest in even now. A great set of directors like Aanand L Rai, Nikkhil Advani, Anubhav Sinha and newer filmmakers like Om Raut and Sandeep Reddy Vanga are all working with me as creative collaborators. Most of them are producing and directing content together with us. We play on each other’s strengths. With the space we give one another, and with the way we respect each other’s contribution to every project, they don’t want to leave my corner. I have never had a specific strategy to counter competition. This business runs on hard work, a little bit of luck, your own sensibilities as a producer and as a music label. The response to our content shows that we have probably made some wise and correct decisions. In the bargain, I have earned the goodwill I have.
With the number of songs in our films decreasing, you have been tapping into singles. What’s been your thought process there?
Yes, it’s true that the space for music in our films is depleting. As a label, you have to keep your ear to the ground and know what people want to hear. In the last two years, we’ve made a lot of singles around bewafaai, which have worked really well. Before that, we made the best recreations of old songs. We have a vast catalogue today. The content earns for itself. You just have to try and understand what the audience seeks.
In the new scheme of things in the entertainment business, in which direction do you see your company heading?
Right now, my biggest worry is the health situation in our country, which is changing every day because of new variants of the COVID virus. Today, everyone is wondering what they should make, and what might draw people into theatres. Jab lockdown tha people had content that was released on OTT, and it was consumed. The real challenge for content creators begins now. We’re positive and hopeful that things will only get better. Health and safety are really the key. What may not change from now on is that a chunk of films will continue to go to OTT platforms, and some will make their way to theatres. As usual, we are prepared to embrace change and move ahead.