Varanasi To Kalki 2: Curious Case Of OTT Deals

After 2016, with Amazon Prime Video offering terrific money for rights to movies like Rangasthalam and Arjun Reddy, many big production houses focused more on OTT platforms than content. That led to the rise of heroes’ remunerations too.

However, lack of proper content and availability of movies on OTT in just 2-4 weeks made the audience wait for these Telugu films to come on their TVs, Laptops and Mobiles. And that pushed Tollywood into big trouble. Here’s the true situation that’s right now out there.

Reports are coming that currently the makers of SS Rajamouli’s “Varanasi” are not able to lock an OTT deal yet. While they are demanding ‘X’ amount, OTT platforms are ready to offer them only 1/2 of what they are asking for. And that too, if Rajamouli decides to split the film into two parts just before the release, the OTT platforms want the second part as well to be sold to them. They are also demanding all the languages to be sold to one player only.

As the film’s hero Mahesh Babu hasn’t had good runs previously to this movie, OTT players are not even considering his craze. Forget about the hero; the film has none other than the man who carved out a film like #RRR, an Oscar-buzzed movie, and a grand success at the box office in India and abroad, but still the OTT deal is not closing. What’s the situation of others then?

Some insiders remarked that the likes of Allu Arjun’s Raaka, Jr NTR’s Dragon, Prabhas’ Fauzi and Kalki 2, not only the heroes of those movies but the directors also scored big blockbusters recently, are also not getting any crazy deals. If they ask for ₹500 crores, OTTs are offering below ₹200 crores for digital rights is the talk. Some are also putting in agreements that they will cut down 30% of the agreed payment if the films fail to click.

With all these shockers in the play, surely OTT rights have become curious now, and Tollywood needs a serious retrospection in that direction.