OTT race: Big films edge out indie content
₹125- ₹130 crore in the past year. This trend has led to reduced opportunities for low-budget films or those with lacklustre box office performances. While investments in original content haven't yielded expected returns, these big-budget films offer the advantage of pre-approved censor board ratings, minimizing risk.
Vaasudev Koppineni, head of content at aha, notes that blockbuster movies with popular stars and significant production investments are highly sought after by streaming services. They offer repeat viewing value and are effective in attracting subscribers. "…you’re guaranteed of an opening on OTT, even if the film has already managed an opening in theatres earlier.
It is also a preferred means to get those stars on your platform, who at this point, are not looking at featuring in web originals," Koppineni explained. According to independent trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai, the current market trend is towards acquiring major action and star films, with prices sometimes reaching ₹150 crore. Pillai highlighted the challenges for offbeat or low-budget movies in this environment, especially with declining satellite television prices and rising content creation and marketing costs.
There are about 200 films across Tamil and Malayalam languages alone that are finding no takers at the moment, he added. In a recent interview with Mint, Ajit Andhare, chief operating officer, Viacom18 Studios, had said that theatrical films have always been valued as premium content in India, driving cable and satellite TV penetration and brand marketing campaigns. “It isn’t a surprise that streaming platforms, too, have realized films are bringing more bang for the buck than originals.
Read more on livemint.com
