Ahead of the premiere of the Disney+ Hotstar series “The Night Manager,” creator-director Sandeep Modi had concerns that were different from what people expected.While many anticipated the inevitable comparisons to the popular British original with the same name, Modi was worried about two things.
Firstly, he wondered if the audience would have an emotional memory of the show.Secondly, he questioned whether the Indian audience was ready to watch a series at a slower pace, as opposed to binge-watching, which is common on OTT platforms.
Modi believed that some stories need to be experienced in a certain way.In this particular story, the protagonist has witnessed the death of a little girl and feels powerless.He wants to take on those in power, but this transformation requires time to be felt.Initially, Modi attempted to watch the show in one go but found that he needed a break to truly savor it.Therefore, he suggested releasing the show on a weekly basis.However, the team disagreed and decided to split it into two parts.
Modi took this risk to see what would happen if the audience couldn’t binge-watch the series.
Fortunately, the risk paid off, as viewers are eagerly awaiting the second part, which will be released later this month.
Another gamble was casting Aditya Roy Kapur, who is known for his romantic roles, as a brooding man.Kapur dedicated a month-long workshop to getting into the role.He and Modi shared the same intent for the character, deciding not to rely on the typical tropes that actors develop over their careers.Through workshops, they discovered a character who doesn’t speak much but conveys his intentions through his eyes.
One criticism of the first part was that Sobhita Dhulipala’s character seemed underdeveloped.Modi anticipated this response and apologized to Dhulipala and Anil Kapoor when they decided to split the show.Surprisingly, Mahesh Bhatt praised Dhulipala’s performance, recognizing the story she told through her character’s silences.Anil Kapoor was also appreciated by the audience.
