Vineet Kumar Singh: It’s important to learn the art of balancing

Gangs of Wasseypur actor Vineet Kumar Singh feels in the times of number games it’s important for projects to score high to reach the maximum audiences. That’s the reason he realises the need to strike a balance between OTT and theatrical projects.

On his recent visit to Lucknow, the actor says, “I feel it’s really important for our work to be viewed by wide audience. Then, it’s up to them to accept or reject it! Box office numbers have never been my focus but now things have changed for sure. I feel for actors like us it’s mandatory to learn the art of balancing both the mediums.”

Giving example of his popular film Mukkabaaz, he tells, “As compared to 4,000 screens to a frontline film, my film got around 400 screens! When I talk to people, around 80 to 90% people have watched it on satellite or OTT. Today, when numbers matter the most, how can we compare 400 to 4,000 screens? That too 40-50% of the shows had odd timings.”

That’s the reason he wants to well balance between both the mediums. “OTT’s set-up is purely democratic as your work reaches whosoever has a subscription, whether they will watch it or not depends entirely on the content. However, I will continue to try and get the high box office numbers.”

The Betal and Bard of Blood actor is elated with his last OTT series. “Not just India, I am getting calls from every part of the world. This has never happened before I think my hard has paid off. I had to put on 10 kgs during the course of shooting for Rangbaaz-3; it was to get the aging of the character right. It was a gruelling process but all well that ends well.”

Going forward, he has three films that will come one after the other. “I have Siya ready, then Dil Is Grey and Aadhaar. I’m currently shooting for an OTT series that has not been announced yet. Also, I have written a script with my sister (Mukti Singh Srinet) and she has solo penned another that we will pitch to makers soon. Both are relatable stories and we will surely keep the box office factors in mind.”

On coming back to the state capital, he says, “First time when I stepped out of Varanasi it was to Lucknow for my basketball camp at KD Singh Babu Stadium after which I got selected for nationals. It was for the first time that I had bun-muska here and being in Lucknow takes me back to those days. On shoot front also it all started with DaasDev, then I shot a portion of Mukkabaaz here, The Kagril Girl, my next film Dil Hai Grey and Rangbaaz earlier in the year . I have my relatives here and have also earned a lot of friends as well.”