- One of the most unlikely success stories emanating from the debacle of the pandemic-induced meltdowns on the economy is the way over the top streaming platforms have positioned themselves in the last two years. People cooped up inside the comforts of homes were left with no option but to indulge in self-entertaining by choosing to embrace the equally well-serving alternative available at a reduced cost. And we all know how the streaming platforms have taken off in a spectacular fashion catering to the entertaining needs of patrons like never seen before. There is no stopping as diverse content on offer on these platforms is attracting millions by the day.
PC: Annabelle Blomeley
- Of course, we have heard enough of content being the king and the maxim is proving its worth yet again what with hitherto considered unexplorable topics are being beamed across small screens much to the delight of the viewing public. The icing on the cake moment occurred recently when Child of Deaf Adults won this year’s Best Picture, Oscar. In doing so, the Hollywood establishment’s battle to keep small screen films out of the big screen league was decisively lost. Interestingly, the closest runner-up was also from a streaming platform namely The Power of the Dog. Even though both the movies did have a theatrical release, albeit, in a limited manner, the acclaim originated from small screens and did the job for these movies.
- Note that despite powerful studio executives and filmmakers like Steven Spielberg have ensured that the Oscar requirement of a theatrical release persists, streaming platforms have creatively found a hybrid route around it. This is indicative of the larger creative revolution spurred by them. The moot point to ponder over here is will the relationship between new audiences drawn to small screens will stay strong even as we return to theatres. The obvious answer is yes, and resoundingly at that. Mind you, the OTT explosion in India to has witnessed diverse content revealing a richness of supply and demand, which once seen cannot be unseen.
PC: Fred Topel
- It is welcomingly revealing how quickly OTT platforms have grown in India to over 40 from two in a decade where the entire ecosystem is exuding irrepressible energy, enthusiasm, and confidence. Consequently, there are innumerable writers to directors cinematographers to technicians to other related workers who are looking at more work and even more experimentation in the days ahead. You name a genre, there is a show or many in it to keep the viewing population interested. Further, this booming local content has a global audience too. Remember, Delhi Crime tasted Emmy success and many more equally interesting projects are lined up to satiate the growing audiences.
- Even the established stars of the Indian cinema are not averse to exploring the burgeoning reach of the OTT platforms. And what about the economics? Understand that studio or production house-backed theatrical releases face more market uncertainty in terms of recouping costs or making profits often constraining experimentation in the process. In contrast, streaming platforms can take more creative risks because their business models allow them to spread bets widely. An estimated 47% of OTT originals in India were in Hindi in 2021, and the rest were in other vernaculars and in English. You see, the field is still wide open for further explorations. With theatres open and streaming platforms innovating like never before, audiences will not complain one bit though.
