The pandemic has made OTT platforms a serious competition for the big screen. Ever since the government of India permitted theatres to open up for business once again, there has been a constant debate which is whether films should go for the conventional release route which is theatres or have an exclusive OTT release.
If rumours are to be believed, it seems like the makers of the upcoming comedy Coolie No.1, which stars Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan, are considering to have a simultaneous release. The OTT release was announced a while back but, now with theatres opening up again, it has given the makers of the film something to think about. In an interview with a leading daily, a trade analyst considered this to be a viable option. He said, “Yes, it is a viable option. How successful it could be, honestly no one knows. For Khaali Peeli, which released on a pay-per-view online, and in drive-in theatres too in two states, it was hardly a parallel release. It’s all about negotiations. When it was put together back then, theatres were not open, and makers didn’t know if they would be in December. In this case, the 2 parties, OTT and producers arrived at a settlement, and if they do now, then, of course, it’s possible.”
