The coronavirus pandemic has affected the entertainment industry rather harshly. With many projects stalled midway, and ready projects sitting with the producers as cinemas remain closed.
OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime have been used by many production houses this year to release their films. Even late Sushant Singh Rajput’s last film, Dil Bechara, was also released on one such platform, Hotstar.
Many experts believed that since there are no new developments with vaccines, the likelihood of reopening cinemas remained low. With such dire situations, isn’t it better to release a film that’s just sitting in boxes on digital platforms?
Apparently, not everyone agrees on this solution. Like most parent-children relationships, David Dhavan and Varun Dhawan have starkly differing opinions on what to do with their film Coolie no. 1 that’s ready for audiences.
According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, like many other producers, producers Vashu Bhagnani and David wanted to debut Coolie no 1 on one of the popular OTT platforms. As of now, it seems like the most sensible solution. However, Varun doesn’t agree. He wants his film to feature on the big screen first, and then be given to these platforms or television later on.
According to Bollywood Hungama, Varun does not want to be labelled as an “OTT actor.” It is worth noting that seasoned actors like Manoj Bajpayee and Saif Ali Khan chose OTT ventures of their own volition, even before the pandemic. Fans and critics have appreciated their acting.
This year, Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Gulabo-Sitabo also debuted on an OTT platform, Amazon Prime.
Where some of these films come from independent productions houses, shows like Sacred Games (Netflix) and Mirzapur (Amazon Prime) or films like Ateet (Zee5) and What Are the Odds (Netflix) are created specifically for these OTT platforms.
So far, none of the actor who has appeared in these films and shows, or have had their films released on these platforms, been labelled as being any less valuable. Neither has the reputation of Bajpayee, or fandom of Khurrana, decreased due to being on these platforms.
However, it seems like in this battle, the son might have his way as theatres are reported to reopen from October 15, with social distancing procedures in place.
