OTT Platform Comes To Bollywood’s Rescue

There  is  no  certainty as  to when  movie theatres  will open in India. Unnnamed  sources from the  central  government  reveal that  the  cinemas will remain  shut even when the  national lockdown is over.

A  spokesperson from  a leading chain of theatres reveals, “Even  after  the lockdown we won’t be  allowed to open  theatres until  a post-virus  safety strategy is worked  out.”

One proposal is to  book tickets in  each  audi  with one seat empty between two  patrons. Some multiplex chains have  already decided on this ‘staggering booking’ strategy whereby seats  will  be left unoccupied  between  patrons.

However this strategy  is  a distant possibility at  the moment. Several  producers who had decided  to postpone their release dates and  to wait  for  the  theatres  to open  are now in the  process  of putting their films  straight  in the digital platform. The  titles that are  looking at  transferring  their sights  from  theatres  to  the digital platform include Rohena Gera’s Sir, Yash Raj Films’  Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar,Eros Entertainment’s Haathi Mere Saathi, Bipin Nadkarni’s  Darbaan . Several other  titles  scheduled  to release  in theatres  in the  second-half of   2020, are also likely to relocate  to  the  OTT platform.

Leading OTT platforms such as Netflix, Amazon , Applause Entertainment  and  Hotstar are  in  negotiations  with  the  producers

A  trade  expert  says  the  transfer to the home  medium will  be in a massive volume.  “Other than  Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi , David Dhawan’s  Coolie No1,  Kabir Khan’s  ’83. Sanjay Bhansali’s  Gangubai Kathiawadi, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, KGF Chapter  2  and a few others, most  of  the  films scheduled for this  year will be diverted  to the  OTT platform. It’s  the  only way out.”

Piku Director   Shoojit Sircar  whose Amitabh  Bachchan-Ayushmann Khurrana  Gulabo Sitabo was scheduled for  release in April  says the  OTT platform may be  the road ahead  for his film and  for   the  Hindi film industry.

Says Shoojit,”I think we have to  move  with the  requirements  of the  times that we  face.We can plan as much as we like. But the best of plans  go awry.Maybe it’s time for Plan B for  film industry.”