OTT is a lucrative source of income for the Indian film industry now. The prices paid are much higher if the film goes directly to OTT by skipping theatrical release. But this is where stars are falling in this trap.
Bollywood stars like Varun Dhawan, Shahid Kapoor, and Siddharth Malhotra are going for direct to OTT releases. The OTT platforms are paying premium prices for these direct OTT releases.
But the real issue here is the declining theatrical market. If these stars who can pull the audience to theaters are going for direct OTT releases, the audience will get accustomed to the OTT viewing.
For the audience to come to theaters, they need the X factor, in the modern market. When premium stars are arriving directly on OTT, the theatrical market will decline massively.
The only reason OTT platforms are paying premium prices now is to counter the theatrical market.
Star hero films might benefit from the same for the time being, but once the theatrical market goes below the threshold, these same OTT platforms will take advantage of the situation and bring down the prices as they will be no leverage for makers due to the declining theatrical market.
Earlier, Jawaan gave a blockbuster start Bollywood with blockbuster theatrical returns. The onus is on other stars to carry forward the theatrical market. But instead, they’re going for OTT release, which is like striking the same branch that they’re sitting on.
