Irumudi Proves Cinema Magic Again: Stop Rushing To OTT?

Ravi Teja is enjoying the kind of comeback every actor dreams of. Irumudi has turned into a phenomenal box-office success, and the film continues to draw packed houses. Several theatres are reporting strong occupancy even on Tuesday.

Interestingly, Irumudi’s Monday and Tuesday occupancies and BookMyShow trends are showing similarities with the momentum seen during massive nationwide blockbusters like Dhurandhar 1. That is a strong sign that the film could still have long legs if the trend continues, despite Toxic arriving tomorrow.

This brings the OTT window debate back into focus.

The industry should seriously consider making an eight-week OTT window mandatory or at least move towards a six-week window initially. More importantly, the rule should apply to every film. Small films, medium-budget films, big-star projects and massive productions should all get a proper theatrical window. In simple terms, let a film squeeze every last rupee it can from theatres before sending it to OTT.

The difference between a theatrical blockbuster and an OTT success is not just about money.

A strong theatrical run creates a different kind of excitement for everyone involved, from actors and filmmakers to exhibitors, fans and audiences. The happiness visible on Ravi Teja’s face during Irumudi’s success event on Monday is a perfect example. That emotion cannot be replicated when a film becomes a success on OTT.

The magic of cinema is still in theatres. Tollywood needs to focus on strengthening that experience, building more screens and giving films enough time to find their audience. OTT should eventually become an option, but at a later stage. It should not become an equal first choice for audiences.

If the industry wants more films to develop the kind of long legs seen in successful Bollywood releases, extending the OTT window could be one of the most important steps for TFI.