D Suresh Babu Reveals Why Filmmakers Must Embrace OTT

Cinema’s like water, it keeps shifting shape, finding new paths when the old ones dry up. That’s how producer D Suresh Babu looks at the whole OTT boom. With Netflix setting up a massive office in Hyderabad, he says it’s not just about space but understanding. It’s good that they’re here, he says. They’ll finally see how Telugu films really work. But that doesn’t mean they’ll start picking up everything we make. They’re picky, always have been.

He says Netflix’s presence will help them get a better grip on the local audience. They’ll be watching what we’re making, what people are watching, and that’s how they’ll really learn the market, he adds. There’s talk that they’ll open more offices in Chennai and other cities too. They’re trying to spread out. South Indian cinema has gone global, so naturally, they want to be closer to the action, he says with a half-smile.

Suresh Babu talks about how OTTs like Netflix and Amazon have changed the game. They’ve made it possible for films to reach every corner. And they pay well too, he says, laughing softly. Without OTTs, many producers wouldn’t survive. Some films recover nearly 40% of their money just from digital rights. He’s worked with both platforms and says they’re tough but fair. They stick to their timelines, they expect us to do the same. Right now, I’m doing something for Amazon with Sobhita Dhulipala, can’t talk much, but it’s a good one.

When asked about Aamir Khan’s decision to drop Sitare Zameen Par directly on YouTube, he shrugs. Why not? People watch wherever they’re comfortable, theatre, phone, laptop, whatever. We just follow the eyes, he says casually. At the end of the day, films are business. But they’re also alive. You can’t stop them from changing. You either flow with it… or get left behind.