Stream today, save cinemas tomorrow

Radhe was the first Salman Khan film to go the pay-per-view route

In 2020, when Gulabo Sitabo became the first Bollywood film to bypass a theatrical run for a digital premiere, exhibitors and distributors across the country were enraged, with a leading multiplex chain warning of "retributive measures". A year and two severe waves of pandemic later, trade analysts and exhibitors seem to have softened their stance.

Sherni will stream on Amazon Prime Video

With Vidya Balan's Sherni becoming the latest film to be OTT-bound, exhibitors are viewing the digital route as a favourable option that keeps the wheels of the business turning.

Vishek Chauhan, who owns cinemas in Bihar, explains, "What's the point of holding on to films? Sooryavanshi's trailer was released in March 2020. We are in May 2021, and the film is beginning to get dated. I'd be okay if the makers decided to go the OTT way. We can only hope that theatres will be functional, like before, by Diwali this year. Akshay [Kumar] has completed Bell Bottom, Prithviraj and Raksha Bandhan [which can enjoy theatrical run if things improve]." Chauhan emphasises that survival of the primary stakeholders - which consists of directors and producers - is the need of the hour. "The industry is reeling under economic strain. For the cash flow to continue, if makers decide to give their film to an OTT platform, it is understandable. The money that they make off the OTT release will be pumped back into making their next film, which will open in theatres."

Rumours are rife that Shilpa Shetty Kundra's Hungama 2 and Saif Ali Khan-starrer Bhoot Police are also considering taking the web route. Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi, who has a chain of cinemas in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, says the move will help movie halls in the long run. "There is no doubt that theatres will be back with a bang. But the big question is when will things settle, leaving people comfortable to go back to halls. In the current scenario, every business in the entertainment sector is only trying to survive - be it us or the producers. I hope that whenever cinemas open, there is enough content to have them up and running."

Shetty's Hungama 2 may go the OTT way

However, a section of multiplex owners are standing their ground. Kunal Sawhney, senior vice president, operations, Carnival Cinemas, says, "I wouldn't want a movie to release on an OTT platform, but it also depends on the amount the producers have invested and their holding capacity. That said, the big movies haven't been appreciated on OTT. From Laxmmi to Radhe, these films wouldn't have fared as badly in movie halls because there are viewers who like the community-viewing experience [more than the film itself]."

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