For the reason that pandemic, OTT platforms and film production have developed a symbiotic relationship, significantly impacting the industry. Through the peak of the crisis, direct-to-OTT releases created friction between producers and exhibitors. Even today, streaming platforms play an important role in determining a movie’s release strategy.
As an example, in Mollywood, the Mohanlal-starrer Thudarum was initially slated for a January 2025 release but was delayed since the production house couldn’t secure a streaming deal before its theatrical debut. Nonetheless, one actor standing firmly against OTT dominance is Tollywood’s Manchu Vishnu.
It’s hard guilty production houses for prioritizing deals with streaming platforms, as these agreements often get better a good portion of their costs. Much of the financial risk is mitigated when a movie has a pre-release OTT deal. If the platform acquires the film before its theatrical release and the movie flops on the box office, the production house still gets the agreed-upon price.
Nonetheless, if a movie is released without an OTT deal and underperforms in theatres, its streaming rights will sell for a much cheaper price. However, if the film becomes successful, its OTT value increases. Given this uncertainty, most producers prefer securing a streaming deal before taking the chance of a theatrical release.
Attending to the Point: Did Kannappa Secure an OTT Deal?
The straightforward answer is not any—streaming platforms wanted to look at Kannappa before deciding on a price for its streaming rights, which is standard industry practice. In any case, nobody would buy a product without knowing its quality. Nonetheless, in line with Telugu 360, Manchu Vishnu was unwilling to let OTT platforms preview the film before its theatrical release.
Kannappa is a high-budget fantasy-mythological film featuring major stars from various Indian film industries, including Mohanlal, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, and Kajal Aggarwal, alongside Manchu Vishnu within the titular role. By holding off on selling the streaming rights, Vishnu is taking a major risk, but when the film succeeds on the box office, it could repay. Kannappa is about to release on April 25, 2025 In theatres.
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