The theatrical scene in South cinema has been looking much healthier lately. Films like Irumudi, Vishwanath and Sons, Lenin and Maa Inti Bangaram have shown that audiences are still willing to come to theatres when the content connects with them.
At a time like this, Rahul Ramakrishna’s latest comments have come as a surprise.
The actor, who is now planning to turn director, has revealed that he wants his first directorial to release directly on OTT. His reasoning is quite simple. He feels that the digital route gives filmmakers more freedom and takes away some of the pressure that comes with a theatrical release, especially the constant focus on collections and the number of screens.
Rahul’s decision is interesting because the current theatrical scenario is not as weak as it was being described some time ago. Irumudi, in particular, has been enjoying a strong run and crossed the Rs 100 crore India net mark in its first eight days. The film also recorded a 40.6 percent jump on its second Friday.
There have also been encouraging examples from films like Lenin and Maa Inti Bangaram, showing that smaller or mid-range films can find an audience without relying entirely on star power.
Against this backdrop, Rahul choosing OTT for his directorial debut certainly raises an interesting question: is the digital route becoming more attractive to filmmakers even when theatres are slowly finding their audience again?
That makes Rahul’s comments worth noticing, rather than just another actor announcing his directorial plans.
