HT Exclusive | Vinod Kapri on almost quitting filmmaking after Pyre's OTT rejection, ₹7000 bank balance and losing 70% shows after Ramayana release

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Vinod Kapri spoke about the challenges of bringing the film Pyre to theatres.

National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri says that getting Pyre to theatres was a struggle that nearly made him quit filmmaking. Despite winning awards at international film festivals, the film failed to find takers among streaming platforms and faced hurdles in securing a theatrical release. Now, with audiences responding warmly to the film, he hopes strong word of mouth will help it reach more screens. Set in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region, Pyre follows an elderly couple whose children have moved away in search of better opportunities, leaving them to face old age and loneliness together. The film stars 80-year-old Padam Singh Kapri, a retired Indian Army serviceman, and 70-year-old Heera Devi, both making their acting debuts. Padam plays a character named after himself, while Heera portrays Tulsi.

National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri says that getting Pyre to theatres was a struggle that nearly made him quit filmmaking.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Vinod spoke about the challenges of bringing the film to theatres, the loss of shows following the arrival of a major release and the audience response that has renewed his faith in filmmaking. He also recalled announcing his retirement after receiving an award in Toronto.

Vinod Kapri says OTT platforms rejected Pyre

Despite the film's recognition at international festivals, finding a release platform proved to be a major challenge. Vinod said he approached several OTT platforms, but none showed interest in acquiring the film. “There are many better films than Pyre which are not released yet, which are still yet to see light of the day. There are many better films than Pyre and I know these films,” he said, pointing to the number of independent films that struggle to reach audiences despite their quality.

The experience left him physically, mentally and financially drained. Recalling how he had reached a breaking point, Vinod said, “I was so so depressed and so mentally, physically, financially exhausted that I announced my retirement from that stage after receiving the award from Deepa Meta. I said I'm done with filmmaking. I'm not going to make any film after this because I'm completely drained out after making this film.”

He credited his executive producer Arindra Rai Chaudhuri, who also came on board as a producer, for encouraging him not to lose hope. Arindra eventually connected him with London-based businessman Suresh Joshi, who watched the film and believed it deserved a theatrical release. But by then, Vinod had very little left to spend on the film. “My company bank account is only 7,000 rupees and I don't have a single penny to spend on this film anymore I don't have any energy I don't even have a money,” he recalled.

Suresh offered to put money into the release, allowing the film to reach cinemas. Vinod said he remains grateful to both for stepping in when he had almost given up on the project. Looking back, he feels the rejection from streaming platforms may have worked in the film's favour. “It is a blessing in disguise that OTT rejected this film otherwise this film could not have get this kind of love and recognition the film is getting right now,” he said.

Pyre loses 70% of its shows after Ramayana's release

While the film has started finding its audience, its theatrical run has not been without hurdles. Vinod said Pyre began with a limited release of around 80 screens, with the number of shows increasing as more people started watching it. “So we started with 80 screens on day one, 80 plus something, and by day five, it went up to 400 shows all over India,” he said.

He also shared how the film's opening collections grew over its first three days. “Day one we just opened with 8 lakh. Our opening was just 8 lakh rupees and on day two it went up to 27 lakhs and on day three it went up to 70,” he said.

However, the arrival of a major release Ramayana affected the film's screen count. Vinod said, “Unfortunately from last two days, our shows had been cut down by 70%. Maybe because of one big release.”

The film is now running with around 90 shows across India. Despite the reduction, Vinod said the occupancy at the remaining screenings has been encouraging. “But at the same time now, we have again reduced to something around 90 odds shows all over India. However, the best part is almost all shows are running with the 80% occupancy.” He remains hopeful that the film will get more screens in the coming days, especially given the response from audiences.

Vinod and his lead actors have been travelling to theatres across Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Kanpur and Lucknow to meet viewers after screenings. Describing what he has witnessed, he said, “The experience is so overwhelming that almost entire theater is sobbing after the film. They are in tears. They are hugging them, taking selfies, touching their feet. So it is so heartwarming to see the kind of love the film is getting.”

Vinod has also spoken to theatre owners about the reduction in shows. According to him, exhibitors in several cities want to continue screening the film but are struggling to accommodate it alongside bigger releases. “I spoke to few theater owners individually and they are saying that their hands are tied up,” he said. He added that Pyre has been performing well in places such as Nainital, Almora, Haldwani, Dehradun, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Bengaluru, even though some cities no longer have a single screening.

The filmmaker also acknowledged the support of the film's distribution partner, Cinepolis, which had advised the team to begin with fewer screens rather than push for a wide release immediately. The idea was to let audience demand grow before expanding the number of shows. Vinod said that approach had initially worked, as the film's collections and screenings increased over its opening days.

Produced by Vinod Kapri, Suresh Joshi and Arindra Rai Chaudhuri under Bhagirathi Films and Mashakbeen Studios, the film has won 18 international awards. It released in theatres across India on October 30 in Hindi and Malayalam.