‘Mukhbir’ Director Shivam Nair On OTT: Originality Is A Must

‘Mukhbir’ director Shivam Nair has been in the film industry for a long time. His past association with the spy espionage genre has been immense, and he has always given something unique to his viewers. His latest, ‘Mukhbir’ has also been appreciated well by the audiences.

In a short and candid chat about the show with Prateek Sur, Shivam Nair reveals why he decided to pick up this genre once again. Also, he reveals what are the necessities to survive in today’s cut-throat OTT scenario. Excerpts from the chat:

You have quite a bit of experience in this genre. So, why does ‘Mukhbir’ stand out in the already cluttered OTT space which has plenty of spy or espionage dramas?

The same reason I agreed to do ‘Mukhbir’ is the very reason it sets itself apart. As a showrunner, I wanted to create a world of intrigue and suspense which was very real and relatable. The human story had to be compelling and at the same time entertaining. This isn’t a high-octane mission kind of storytelling that I had done in the past. That’s why the choice of writing a con man is the epicentre of the story.

How is your spy different from the others?

He is a man who is smart, witty, fragile, vulnerable, street smart, yet mercurial and unpredictable. He isn’t a hardened trained agent so you don’t which way he will swing. And that makes it interesting to unfold. Will he or will he not succeed is the crux of the matter. Just like most of us, he is real and relatable and not a superman.

With so much content out there, why should people invest their time in watching ‘Mukhbir’? What will excite them about this series?

Any original idea rooted in reality, with enough investment of time development and writing, and relatable character-driven narratives are here to stay. With our audiences getting so much exposure to international content, they have become very discerning. So, originality is a must.

Is Indian OTT content at par with global standards?

I see if we are really honest with our storytelling, it’s a matter of time that Indian indigenous content will be up for global adaptation just like the Korean and Israeli series. We just have to ensure that we don’t create templates and be true to our convictions.