OTT Is Not The Threat, But Here’s The Real One

One of the most talked-about topics right now in the film industry is the dangers posed by OTT and how the digital-streaming game has completely killed the movie business. Some say that as OTT platforms are showing good content on their platforms, people have stuck to them, and after people stuck to them, these platforms started paying less to producers. While all of that drama is aside, there’s another threat that is currently worrying producers.

The other day we had two Telugu films hitting the cinemas, including Rao Bahadur and Nagabandham. Both have amazing visual effects, some creative themes and good moments, though they are dragging and ineffective towards the end. However, none of the films got openings in theatres that are known for pulling lots of crowds. That means, the crowd themselves are not coming to the theatre unless they are promised some spectacles or unstoppable rib-tickling entertainment.

For example, a known story like ‘The Odyssey’ already has a huge audience because it’s made by filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who is known for carving larger-than-life stories on the silver screen. However, some new stories and native films like Rao Bahadur and Nagabandham are not even getting great audiences in theatres, no matter how new they are.

This is happening in Bollywood as well, as films like Alpha are struggling to get the attention of the audience. At the same time, some comedies like ‘Welcome to Jungle’ have worked out well, collecting ₹100 crore nett in a short time. So more than OTT, our filmmakers, producers and entire film ecosystem should focus on bringing the audience back to theatres and filling the seats quickly.