Film industry’s new hybrid release model: A boon or a bane?
The raging new wave of Covid-19 in India has caused filmmakers to take newer routes to release their films. While several producers decided to postpone the theatrical releases of their films, others are eyeing for a direct-to-digital release. However, in a first during the second wave of the on-going pandemic, Salman Khan’s upcoming project, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, is all set to get a simultaneous release in the theatres and the digital space through a pay per view (PPV) system on the same day.
The actor’s father, Salim Khan, believes that his son has taken ‘the right decision’. “These are unprecedented times and it calls for some unprecedented decisions,” he says.
In Hollywood, however, a hybrid release model is not unheard of. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) and Kong vs Godzilla released simultaneously on OTT and theatres.
According to trade analyst, Taran Adarsh, the trend depends on the economics involved in making a film. He says, “When a film releases in theatres, you’ve the daily box office numbers. But now with PPV, nobody knows how many people have watched it because they don’t reveal numbers.”
Last year, Khaali Peeli featuring Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday had released on pay-per-view as well as drive-in theatres. The film’s director Maqbool Khan believes this is the best model to follow. “A trend like this is a blessing in disguise. The future of theatres is uncertain. Many producers’ money is at stake. They have been holding their releases for a long time.”
Producer Anand Pandit believes it’s going to be a wait-and-watch game. “We shouldn’t derive conclusions from Khaali Peeli or Radhe. These are tough times and we don’t know if people will be able to spend that kind of money on the pay per view system. Unless a film is able to draw a large audience, this won’t work. People should be inclined to pay a certain amount on the PPV system,” he says.