Decoding the changing dynamics of film narratives, resonance, distribution

Many of the Indie producers or producers, who have limited budgets but meaningful stories to narrate, have found a great partner in OTT platforms. In the last one year, films like ‘12^th Fail’, ‘Laapataa Ladies’, etc., have re-established this fact that if the content is good, then it will definitely do well and reach the audience. However, one of the major problems that films have been facing is reduced number of footfalls in the theatres, which was highlighted and discussed in the panel under ‘OTT Vs Theatrical Release: Changing Dynamics of Distribution’, at the recently held SCREENXX Summit & Awards 2022.

The session was chaired by Kanika Mohan Saxena, VP - Digital (Video, Music, Games), Vi. The esteemed panellists included:

Anjali Bhushan, Director/ Writer/ Producer & Founder, Yantra Films

Dhruvin Dakshesh Shah, Founder & CEO, JOJO App

Rajeshwar Nair, Producer & Founding Partner, Keylight Production

Sarthak Dasgupta, Writer, Director, Producer & Founder, The Salt Inc

Zubin Jimmy Dubash, Founder, Yozuha Consulting

Kanika Mohan Saxena commenced the session with the biggest news of the entertainment industry in the second of the year – that of Aadar Poonawala acquiring a stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma Production, which was attributed to the banner’s decrease in profit. She asked the panellists why lesser number of films are releasing today.

Sarthak Dasgupta responded by noting that earlier people used to watch films in theatres because they were not available anywhere else. “That was our source of entertainment. Other than TV, now that entertainment in various bit sizes is available across platforms and data cost is cheap in India. Hence, people are constantly consuming content. So, why would they spend money and go to watch a film show which is only available at 10 o’clock in the night, instead of waiting for it to come on TV or OTT?”

Anjali Bhushan highlighted the high prices of movie tickets, which made watching a film with the entire family in the theatre an expensive proposition. “How many of us can afford that? We’ve been singing the same raag for the past 10 years – why should I watch your film with the family for Rs 3,500? How many times a month can I afford such an outing?”

She pointed out that today, a movie like ‘Laapataa Ladies’ has become a huge hit on OTT. “But, would the movie have been a hit in theaters?: she asked.

Adding to what Bhushan said, Dasgupta pointed out, “In the South, there is a cap on theatre ticket prices at Rs 130, which is why people go and watch movies in theatres. The South industry works hard to write better and unique stories. But in Bollywood, we have to write for and cater to the entire population of the country, that’s why our writing comes down.”

Bhushan added here that today regional cinema is doing well because the audience is changing. “I am sure all of you have watched ‘Kantara’. I was on the edge of my seat while watching it. It is a regional film with a totally different structure and a storytelling which is native to a small region of the country. But it found greater resonance beyond this small region,” she said.

She further said, “If you’re going to try and make a remake of a foreign film, then your audience will reject that. And that’s where the industry is failing, because the storytelling has not changed. Why is it that the OTT experience is so interesting? Because I can watch ‘Bridgerton’, where I have a black queen. Can I make that here out of a narrative, or a historical fiction narrative? The audience is changing. Remember they are younger than 25 years.”

Zubin Jimmy Dubash believed that content plays an important part and that there is no fixed structure of revenue. “I’d say stories are the new stars, in such a case you don’t need heavy budget stars to fund your projects. Thus, you have ‘12th Fail’ with lesser known stars and still have some amazing hits and great revenue that you can create. So, that is actually the changing trend,” he added.

Adding to why footfalls are falling in movie theatres, Dubash said, “One important point that we are ignoring is the GenZ fraternity.”

Saxena here pointed out that when anyone discusses about OTT versus theatrical releases, one needs to keep in mind that there is no definitive measure to calculate views on the OTT platforms.

Agreeing with her, Dubash, too, pointed out that unlike films which have box office numbers to prove their success, OTT does not have such a system yet. “When the same film releases on just OTT, we have no idea of what the monetized value of that film is. The question here is, what is the metric that the OTTs should follow to claim that this is the so-called crystal rating of box office success on OTT,” he emphasised.

Bhushan asked here, “While there are the reports by Ormax Media, why don’t I have one more?”

Rajeshwar Nair believed that things are changing for the good. He said, “Nowadays, Indie producers like us get to release our films on such platforms and other producers have assurance when their films are sold to these platforms. Earlier, they had to be solely dependent on music and satellite rights.”

Also upbeat about the opportunities provided by the OTT platforms, Dhruvin Dakshesh Shah said, “We are living in amazing times, where there are great opportunities on all sides. From the audience perspective, they can watch numerous titles from around the world, which is raising the standard of content being consumed. Especially with the new generation, which is getting hooked on to the OTT space. Now, the makers really need to introspect and see where the world is going, and if they can’t contribute to that, then maybe it’s time to re-evaluate a career. It’s an open space for anyone to come and be honest and truthful to what they are trying to convey.”

He hailed the great opportunity provided by the OTT platforms to makers, where now they can secure projects before actually going on the floor. At the same time he also cautioned that it could also be potentially hazardous if the content is mediocre, because now there is no want or push.

The session concluded by the panellists agreeing that the makers need to focus on what Gen Z wants to watch, because they are the main audience who consume a major chunk of the entertainment content.

Also Read: Decoding the next phase of OTT’s growth in India as digital renaissance continues