In the post- Covid times, there has been a drastic change in the movie consumption pattern. With cinema halls shut, OTT platforms were used to directly release films. After the pandemic, once things normalized, the filmmakers continued to release the films on OTT, but after 4 weeks of the movie being released in the theatres. The logic was that since the producers were suffering due to lower revenues from box office, they should be compensated by premiering their films early online.
The trend of going to the halls is back with a bang. As a result, the various stakeholders have decided to go back to the previous norms, that is, releasing the films online after 8 weeks of release. This rule will be effective from August 1 and all movies such as, Raksha Bandhan, Laal Singh Chaddha, etc. will not appear on OTT before completing eight weeks in the halls.
Akshaye Rathi, who is a film distributor states, “It’ s a mutually agreed upon call.” This will also rebuild the habit of the masses to go back to the movie halls, else the audience is always thinking, “yeh film toh 4 hafton mein OTT pe aa hi jaayegi.” Producers are likely to benefit maximum if the box -office collections increase.
A common question that comes to mind, is this negotiable?? Akshaye Rathi replied, “It’ s not like they won’t be allowed. They are the producers and it’s their copyright. On a case to case basis, depending on the cost-benefit analysis of the particular film, the producers and exhibitors will take a call. PVR will take it’s own call and so will Inox, Cinepolis, Miraj, etc.”
