It seems Bollywood is no longer very excited about OTT releases and this time it is Ajay Devgn’s fans who have taken an offence. It can be recalled that a few days ago we reported that the buzz in the film trade was that the makers of the Devgn starrer Bhuj: The Pride Of India were considering the film for an OTT platform.
A majority of the film has been shot, but they were looking at the best available date to wrap the shoot so that the film can first go on the OTT followed by a satellite release.
Soon, Ajay Devgn fans started trending a hashtag called #BoycottBhujOnOTT. Fans surely do not seem to be keen about the film premiering on an OTT platform. They want it to release first in the theatres. And it was not just the fans, the film industry, actors and even filmmakers start reacting with a sense of fear over an uncertain future.
Earlier, even the Akshay Kumar starrer Laxmmi Bomb too was being considered for an OTT release first. Again, Kumar’s fans were not too pleased and started a hashtag asking the makers not to release the film on OTT.
The Multiplex Association of India also started coming out with statements condemning the direct release, wanting the first bite of the product. But trade analyst Taran Adarsh asks fans and the film industry folks not to get into panic mode. “I did see the trending hashtags. I understand fans are upset first about Laxmmi Bomb and now about Bhuj. But when did the producers ever announce that the films are coming on OTT platform?
This is all just speculation. We are waiting for theatres to reopen, though we don’t know how long it will take for the Government directives to come in that direction. I know for a fact that there is no official statement from producers or the studio about OTT release,” says Adarsh.
