Ananth Mahadevan on Indian TV, OTT Future & Why Bollywood is ‘Follywood’

National award-winner Ananth Mahadevan on his book on Indian television and why he believes Bollywood should be renamed Follywood

SAURABH TANKHA

Ananth Mahadevan, national award-winning actor, writer and filmmaker, has chronicled nearly 40 years of Indian television in his book Once Upon A Prime Time. He describes it as part memoir and part history, built on research, documentation, and conversations with key industry figures.

He says the idea came from a simple gap. Indian television history was never properly documented. Having worked in the industry for around 38 years, he decided to record its evolution himself. The book took nearly two years to complete. It involved detailed writing, recording, and research.

He recalls the early days of television in the 1980s. Back then, filmmakers actively worked in the medium. They created mini classics that are still remembered today. But he feels things changed in the new millennium. Television became dominated by daily soaps. According to him, this shift pushed filmmakers away from the medium.

Mahadevan credits his learning to some of the greatest names in Indian cinema. He calls Hrishikesh Mukherjee an institution in editing ethics. Farooque Shaikh remains a lifelong inspiration. Sai Paranjpye gave him his first break. He also draws strong influence from Yash Chopra, Kundan Shah, Basu Chatterjee, and M.S. Sathyu.

On today’s entertainment industry, he is direct. He says content is no longer king. He blames weak writing and poor thinking and also feels modern programming lacks direction and experience. Many creators, he says, do not understand the demands of the medium.

He adds that Indian television has lost its earlier clarity. In the past, there was strong creative intent. Today, he says, programmers often work without clear goals or vision.

On web series, he says creators have evolved them from the limited series format started by Doordarshan. However, he feels many shows rely heavily on sex, violence, and abuse due to the lack of censorship. He does acknowledge strong work such as Bandish Bandits, Avrodh, and Scam.

On films like Doctor Rukhmabai and Gour Hari Das, he says audiences, conditioned by formula-driven content, often struggle to embrace meaningful cinema. Still, he remains committed to serious, globally relevant storytelling.

He admits that success has not come easily. At times, he feels sidelined. Yet he continues to stay focused on his craft and artistic journey.

On OTT platforms, he believes they will keep growing if television continues on its current path. However, he says cinema will always remain important. OTT, he adds, cannot replace the experience of theatre and the big screen.

Looking ahead, Ananth Mahadevan says he will continue working on challenging subjects that push his limits and help him contribute to global cinema.