There was a time when streaming platforms used to be a novelty, you won't find everyone watching their highly anticipated movies on a smaller screen at home. Now, looking at the current time, streaming platforms have become a necessity for content consumers. This change has not only transformed how we watch content but also had a shift in the cinema. How, when some experimental films, quiet, local stories that once struggled for theatre screens, have found a second life and sometimes a bigger one on OTT.
A theatrical and an online release are quite different when speaking about their earnings upon their release and the audience reaction to it. On the streaming platforms, the success of a film is evaluated through the viewership sustained over time, its completion rate and subscriber engagement that comes with it.
Due to this, it reduces the cost of failure and can assist a romance drama or a bold experiment, or a small budget or project that has a niche audience to get good views and some limelight. This also gives the makers more freedom, as they might mix genres to experiment.
Additionally, streaming platforms are also actively producing regional originals, which sometimes cannot make bucks at the box office.
Second chances for box office failures
Films including 'Acharya', Prabhas starrer 'Radhe Shyam', 'Khiladi', 'Good Luck Sakhi' and multiple other films were released with high expectations; however, they could not make a huge splash at the box office. Multiple aspects can lead a film to fail to make good numbers. A poor word-of-mouth, the narrative not matching the expectation of the genre, and competition with other releases. These films are some examples of how scale, promotions and star value don't guarantee a win anymore in the film industry.
However, whatever caused these movies to falter soon became irrelevant in the OTT era. After relatively unfavorable theatrical runs, almost all of these specific titles quickly appeared on OTT, received some buzz, and were even viewed more widely than expected. These films gave a potential second life, with the audience watching the film at their desired time and from their own comfort zone.
Pandemic push to OTT
During 2020, due to COVID-19, the OTT saw a high surge in use. 30 Tamil producers, including big figures like Bharathiraaja, T Siva, TG Thyagarajan, KE Gnanavel Raja, S Sashikanth and CV Kumar, released a joint statement supporting the direct OTT release of Jyothika starrer 'Ponmagal Vandhal', defending it against criticisms from exhibitors.
The message read, "The film industry should consider OTT platforms as an opportunity for small and medium-budget films and encourage it. Many producers can get their investment through this, which will be beneficial to the industry in the long run. Moreover, small films choosing streaming platforms for their release will help reduce the competition to secure more screens. For the industry to flourish, producers, exhibitors and distributors should work hand-in-hand and take decisions. Post the lockdown, all the concerned parties shall discuss and come up with a framework for the release of films on OTT platforms."
Telugu films such as Vishwak Sen's 'Gangs of Godavari' and Ravi Teja's 'Mr. Bachchanmovie' both underperformed at the box office and were also popular when they hit the OTT screens. According to OTTPlay, the movies after struggling on OTT had a much significant viewership online.
Superhits amplified on OTT
Interestingly, not only a film that underperformed, but a movie that, after being a superhit, rose to pan-India fame when released online. The movie, which was originally released in Telugu, minted Rs 49.22 crore and its dubbed versions, such as Hindi version, collected Rs 11 lakh and Tamil version grabbed Rs 1.91 crore. After the film made its debut on OTT, it became the talk of the town among the OTT releases for its wholesome romance drama.
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