Rakshit Shetty’s revelation that there are “no takers” for his Kannada web series Ekam has stunned audiences and Kannada industry insiders alike. On June 17, the actor-filmmaker, who is a National Film Award recipient, wrote on X that the search for a platform has gone on for two years now. Shetty, who, in 2022 and 2023, has had blockbusters such as 777 Charlie (2022), Sapta Saagaradaache Ello (Side A & Side B), also said Ekam will now release on an independent platform.

It’s a baffling disclosure, especially considering that the Kirik Party (2016) star has always been known for his content-driven films and has had success after success since his debut with Nam Areal Ond Dina (2010). Sapta Saagaradaache Ello director Hemanth Rao says, “Films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam do equally good business in Karnataka. That’s not the case in any other southern Indian state.”

Explaining how this phenomenon has also skewed business, he notes: “The local language has taken a back-seat, unfortunately, and it is reflective in terms of business. So, when an OTT giant picks up, say, a Telugu film, they will possibly see that the subscriptions in Bangalore/Karnataka are only increasing. So, the OTT-content buying patterns have completely changed.”

Vikrant Rona (2022) director Anup Bhandari attributes the OTT platforms’ reluctance about Kannada content to “confusion about how some of the previous films have fared”. Bhandari elaborates, “Before 2022, there was reluctance in buying Kannada content that did not have a star. But unlike 2022, 2023 wasn’t such a good year for the industry, and the confidence was lost. We need to create more content that is stronger because the kind of films that people watch on the web and the kind that are made for mass consumption are quite different.”

Rao points out that the lack of representation which could form a bridge between the industry and OTT platforms, is to blame, too. “Within every OTT platform, there will be somebody who is in charge of an industry, with a good know-how dictated by economics and viewing patterns. So, the onus and responsibility are on the makers, too. The stakes have got higher for the Kannada film industry. If you keep making fantastic films, no one is going to walk away because you are showing that there is business,” Rao wraps up.

I have to agree that we have a shortage of writers and directors in the Kannada industry right now. We need to create more content that is stronger because the kind of films that people watch on the web and the kind that are made for mass consumption are quite different. The Malayalam industry has fared well in this aspect. Of late, they have been making small films that are making it really big, but this did not happen overnight. It probably started somewhere in early 2010s — the foundation was laid much earlier because they had prepared their audience for sensible movies from a very long time ago. This was there in Kannada cinema, too, at one point. As content makers, you need to gain the trust of the audience — which is what we need to do as Kannada filmmakers, on a continuous basis. We can’t have one good year and then have a bad phase and then come back a year later.

-Anup Bhandari

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I know for a fact that the Kannada industry doesn’t have good representation within OTT platforms and that they don’t understand our industry. They don’t know who is who. Like in the way they understand the Telugu or Tamil market, they should have somebody local who knows who is doing good work here. It’s extremely heartbreaking as somebody who is a representative of the Kannada film industry. We have a population of six crore people in Karnataka. What is shocking is that when you log into this one particular OTT platform, the top 10 films that they have ranked, even today, are all dubbed films that are non-original Kannada projects! And they don’t want to acquire new films. We have tried multiple times. In fact, I have tried multiple times. I have a film that is ready, but OTTs are not ready to pick it up.

- Hemanth Rao

Kannada actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty found pan-India success with his film 777 Charlie in 2022, followed by Sapta Saagaradaache Ello, Side A and Side B last year. But recently, the actor revealed on X that his next project, Ekam, has no “takers on OTT”.

In a long note, Shetty shared that Ekam was greenlit in early 2020, but the pandemic put a pause on it. “The world turned upside down. It was chaotic and frustrating. But we kept at it. Cut to October 2021, I saw the Final Cut of Ekam. I was thrilled to see it come alive. Thrilled to see the team push the boundaries. And I was thrilled to show it to the world,” he wrote, adding that it’s been “one hell of a wait” for the film to come out.

The actor-filmmaker went on to reveal how, despite exploring every possible option for the web series’ release, nothing turned out to be fruitful. “There is not a single avenue we’ve not explored for Ekam in these last couple of years. But we hit familiar roadblocks every time. However, I think the audience deserves a chance, and the right, to decide the worth of any content. So, we decided to bring Ekam to you, on our own platform. You might love it. You might hate it. But I guarantee that you cannot dismiss it. It’s a one-of-a-kind attempt that needs to be acknowledged and applauded. I hope you enjoy it as much as we loved making it,” he added.

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Ekam, the Kannada web series by actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty’s production house Paramvah Studios along with Journeyman Productions, has locked its premiere date. The project, which began in 2020, will stream on Rakshit’s own platform, www.ekamtheseries.com.

Created by Sandeep P S and Sumanth Bhat, the web series is an anthology of seven stories and stars noted actors such as Prakash Raj and Raj B Shetty. Ekam will premiere on July 13.

“We have faced rejections on all OTT platforms because Ekam is a Kannada show and they are not yet in the market for Kannada shows,” said Sumanth Bhat. “We will bring the web series to you at the price of a movie ticket (one-time fee of Rs 149),” he added.

“We want to present rooted stories and take the same stories to people across the world,” said Sumanth. Talking about the web series, Rakshit Shetty said in a statement, “I saw the final cut of Ekam in October, 2021. I was thrilled to see it come alive. It’s a one of a kind attempt.” Those interested in watching the web series can register by logging on to ekamtheseries.com.