In a first for India's on-demand movie streaming service, Amazon Prime Video has acquired the rights to seven Indian movies that will be released directly on the OTT platform. Three of the movies are in Hindi, two in Kannada, one in Tamil and Malayalam, and one bilingual in Tamil and Telugu. Apart from the Amitabh Bachchan - Ayushman Khurrana Gulabo Sitabo comedy, the Hindi films include the biography of Indian mathematical genius Shakuntala Devi with Vidya Balan in mind. Other movies Amazon Prime has picked up include Tamil drama Ponmagal Vandhal, Law and French Biryani (both Kannada), Sufiyum Sujatayum (Malayalam), and Penguin (a bilingual Tamil and Telugu).
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(Image credit: Sony Pictures Pvt Ltd) All seven films will be released in the next three months, with Gulabo Sitabo opening on June 12, the company said in a statement. Prime Video subscribers would not have to pay extra fees to watch these movies, which should be what the doctor ordered for moviegoers in India who have faced a nationwide lockdown since March 25 that also left close to 10,000 screens. individual and multiplex theaters. In the enclosed field.
T 3531 -Joint Film Ind., In 1969... in 2020... that's 51 years! .. seen many changes and challenges .. NOW another challenge .. DIGITAL RELEASE of my movie GULABO SITABO !! June 12 Amazon Prime 200+ countries... IT'S AMAZING! Honored to be part of yet another change pic.twitter.com/ccH2Qxh92DM May 14, 2020 While this decision was a positive step for filmmakers and viewers, theater owners were unwilling. PVR and INOX, two of the largest owners of multiplex channels, totaling 1,500 screens in India, released statements in the media suggesting they were alarmed by the digital release of the films. “Such acts, albeit isolated, vitiate the atmosphere of mutual partnership and portray these content producers as heyday buddies rather than lifelong all-weather partners. Needless to say, INOX will be forced to consider its options and reserve all rights, including compensation, to deal with such friends in fine weather," INOX said in a statement.
A big win for Amazon
Amazon offers Prime Video in its €13 per year plan that reaches 4.000 cities and towns in India and more than 200 countries. While the company does not share subscribers, the fact remains that since the shutdown, all 40+ OTT platforms have seen subscription growth. In a prepared statement, Gaurav Gandhi, National Director and General Manager of Amazon Prime Video India, said: "Indian audiences have been eagerly awaiting the release of these 7 highly anticipated movies and we are delighted that Amazon Prime Video is now streaming these movies. for our customers, who can enjoy watching them in the safety and comfort of their home and on a screen of their choice." There is no mention of the amount paid by the company to acquire the rights to these films, although there are indications that it was not a large amount. Ronnie Lahiri, co-producer of Gulabo Sitabo, told Huffington Post India that it was a mutual benefit for the two, although there is no crazy amount they received from Amazon Prime. Vijay Subramaniam, director and head of content for Amazon Prime Video in India, told Reuters in an interview that he did not see acquisition costs for the streaming platform increasing. He added: "There will be a reset in the way producers and studios think about their portfolios." Tamil film Ponmagal Vandhal will be released on May 29 and will star Jyothika, Parthiban, Bhagyaraj, Pratap Pothen and Pandiarajan. It is a legal drama written and directed by JJ Frederick and produced by Suriya and Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian.
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(Image credit: 2D Entertainment) Penguin is a bilingual film written and directed by Eshavar Karthic with national award-winning actor Keerthy Suresh in mind. The film is scheduled to be released on Amazon Prime Video on June 19.
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(Image credit: Stone Bench Films) Would this herald many more movies on the OTT platform without going to a theatrical release? Or will things normalize once the lockdown is lifted and movie-watching becomes a celebration rather than something done behind closed doors?