Telugu Industry’s Hypocrisy? Theatres to OTT in 20 Days

The film Mowgli, which released recently, carried strong expectations from its entire team. The project was particularly important for Roshan Kanakala. After failing to make an impact with his debut film Bubblegum, Roshan hoped Mowgli would help him establish himself as a lead actor.

Director Sandeep Raj had his own reasons to be optimistic. Though he earned critical acclaim with Color Photo, the film’s direct OTT release left him disappointed, as he had long wanted a proper theatrical success. Mowgli became his first theatrical release after a long wait. Actor Bandi Saroj Kumar, who played the antagonist, also pinned his hopes on the film, expecting it to give his career a solid boost.

Unfortunately, Mowgli failed to impress the audience. Negative reviews came out right from the first show, and the film struggled at the box office. It eventually ended up as a commercial disaster, adding another setback to the slate of People Media Factory. The makers had confidently released the film alongside Akhanda 2. Akhanda 2‘s failure also couldn’t boost Mowgli at the box office.

What stood out was the film’s quick shift to OTT. Released theatrically on December 13, Mowgli is set to premiere on ETV Win on January 1, just 20 days after its theatrical release, in less than three weeks. This move highlights a growing contradiction in the industry. Producers often argue that early OTT releases hurt theatrical business and call for longer digital windows. Yet, when films flop, the same producers opt for quick digital premieres to recover losses.

Given the current market, where securing digital deals for small films itself has become difficult, producers seem willing to accept shorter gaps. Now, all eyes are on how Mowgli will perform on OTT. Whether Mowgli finds a second life with OTT audiences or faces further rejection remains to be seen.