OTT platforms emerged as a saviour for everyone during the lockdown. With theatres closed, they gave makers a chance to release their films.

While the ups were numerous, the downs are now in full effect. It started with Sadak 2, which boasted of a cast such as Sanjay Dutt and Alia Bhatt, but didn’t meet the hype. Akshay Kumar’s Laxmii, too, wasn’t welcomed with open arms. Drive, starring Sushant Singh Rajput, also released last year to a cold response. Rumours suggest that an OTT platform, set to release Varun Dhawan-Sara Ali Khan’s Coolie No 1, has demanded a screening for their content team.

The question arises: have OTT platforms realised that maybe they were being treated as a sort of dumping ground?

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says it would be wrong to call these platforms that. “Like hits and flops at box office, likes and dislikes on OTTs are part of the game,” he says.

Makers, on their part, too, refuse to admit that OTT platforms are being used to just get a project off their back. Anand Pandit, who has backed Abhishek Bachchan-starrer The Big Bull, says, “It is unfortunate that some films were not received well by the public. That doesn’t mean OTTs are dumping grounds. It’s very difficult to sell a film there. We have only a few major OTT players in India. They all need only one new film in a quarter, or one film in two months. Whereas theatres have two-three coming out every week.”

What’s interesting is that smaller films such as Lootcase managed to garner eyeballs instead. The director of the film, Rajesh Krishnan says, “The audience is extremely discerning and aware of their choices. You are competing with the best content from all over the world.”

Aparna Acharekar, programming head, ZEE5, on her part, says, “Now, there is accessibility to content, which was earlier limited to select circles of film festivals.”

As for the OTTs being overused by makers, she says, “OTTs pay significant amount of money to either acquire or produce these films, and hence it’s not completely true. If we produce, then we have complete creative control. Also, none of us declare what subscriptions/hits we got.”