OTT platforms serve shows heavy on political messaging to exploit poll fervour

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illustrate how media, including films and other entertainment avenues, is exploited by political parties for electoral gains. Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond is based on the dramatic airstrikes by Indian fighter planes to destroy terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot in February 2019.

In a statement, JioCinema referred to Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond as a “web-series (that) decodes the modern warfare that isn’t simply fought on physical borders but transcends to the domain of social media, digital tactics and covert political moves that have the power to reshape geo-politics". In a separate statement, Radhika Sarathkumar, producer of Thalaimai Seylagam, said the series encapsulates the essence of Tamil Nadu politics on a national stage, juxtaposing it with the intricacies of grassroots workers and rebel groups in Jharkhand.

“Be it in the theatre or on OTT, political content creates curiosity and there is some kind of rush to watch it, especially if the promos are cut well or like in the case of The Kerala Story (that released in cinemas), there is a certain acknowledgment and support by those in power," Akshay Bardapurkar, founder of OTT platform Planet Marathi, said. When shows or movies are modelled on real-life incidents or political scandals, there is already a lot of awareness in the public domain and in many cases, there is no need to take permission from specific individuals or organizations, he said.

Bardapurkar added that the platform has plans to release some shows with political themes to coincide with the Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra in September and October. Harish Bijoor, business and brand-strategy specialist, said the relationship between politics and news can be both obvious and slightly covert.