8-Week OTT Clause Hurting Pan-India Films

Rajinikanth’s latest blockbuster, Jailer, did feeble business in the Hindi markets. While the film crossed 600 crores worldwide gross, the film’s Hindi version could not even cross Rs. 10 crores net.

The main reason for this setback is cited to be the 8-week OTT clause. As per North Indian Theatre Exhibitors, no film can be released on OTT within eight weeks of theatrical release. If this clause is not met, then many single-screen and multiplexes in the Hindi belts might not release the film.

Jailer has been released on Prime Video after four weeks of its theatrical release. It definitely hasn’t met the 8-week no OTT clause.

Now, Thalapathy Vijay’s Leo is also facing a similar problem. The reports suggest that the North exhibitors have made it very clear that they will not release LEO’s Hindi version if the makers are not ready to wait eight weeks for the film’s OTT release.

This 8-week clause didn’t make much impact in the southern states, and many producers flouted it. But it seems the North Indian exhibitors have taken this clause very seriously, which is creating headaches for pan-India films from the South.