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BCCL<ul><li>Digital release of the films might be another component of the ‘new normal’ that experts anticipate post-COVID-19. </li><li>While big production houses may be able to afford to wait it out until the lockdown ends, medium and small budget film producers may not have an option but to release their films on OTT platforms. </li><li>Business Insider spoke to media and entertainment experts about how sustainable is the option of releasing films directly onto the streaming services. </li><li>Indian film producers are likely to make only half the profit through digital release.</li></ul>With cinema halls closed, streaming platforms are chasing film producers premiere films on their platforms during the nationwide lockdown. These OTT platforms have been under pressure to provide new content frequently to sustain user growth. It’s not just OTT platforms but film producers too, who are trying to not lose money by opting for a web premier. Some upcoming films like <keyword id="3371986" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lakshmi-Bomb">Lakshmi Bomb</keyword> featuring Akshay Kumar are in talks with Disney+Hotstar for a release. Even <keyword id="6245082" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">Zee5</keyword> is considering premiering movies directly on its platform in the near future. On the other hand, some are holding out — like Kabir Khan’s <keyword id="6411340" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="83">83</keyword>, despite <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/hindi/2020/apr/28/ranveer-singhs-83--not-headed-to-digital-platforms-makers-clarify-2136111.html">receiving a ₹143 crore offer. </a> Digital release of the films might be another component of the ‘new normal’ that experts anticipate post-COVID-19. Business Insider spoke to media and entertainment experts about how sustainable is the option of releasing films directly onto the streaming services. Will web premiers be the new normal? While big production houses may be able to afford to wait it out until the lockdown ends, medium and small budget film producers may not have an option but to release their films on OTT platforms. “With Box Office collections continuing to account for a lion’s share of a film’s overall revenues, some producers may choose to bide their time and wait for the situation to normalize, rather than settle for potentially lower revenues by releasing on an OTT platform” Girish Menon, Partner and Head, Media and Entertainment, KPMG in India told Business Insider. Film critic and senior entertainment journalist Latha Srinivasan believes producers who are looking to make a profit on their films are aware that streaming services might not be able to match the returns of a theatrical release. Producers in India first release the films in the theatres and bag an offer for streaming it online two to three months after the premier. However, once the film is released on OTT platforms audiences will no longer flock to the theatre to watch the same film, Srinivasan pointed out. No gain no loss <div type="image" title="19685ADE-A79D-4CAF-AA60-62A0B55DB7B1" msid="75563988" hostid="261"></div> (BCCL). Even those producers who are considering a digital release aren’t going to make any profit out of it. Just like film producer Akshay Bardapurkar — whose film AB Aani CD featuring Amitabh Bachchan recently released on Amazon Prime — who opted for a digital release to recover losses. “The calendar is likely to get bunched and smaller films will have a tough time finding a screen. Screens will be a big problem. Therefore, some of the smaller movies may decide that it is better to release films on OTT platform,” Jehil Thakkar from Deloitte India told Business Insider. Once theatres open, footfall will continue to be tempered even if people decide to head out and go for a movie. The audience will also be very selective about which movie to watch. Thakkar believes, the trend will ultimately depend on how much OTT platforms are willing to shell out in order to purchase a film. A producer would expect at least 60% return to be on even keel with expected returns from the box office. At the current rate, Indian producers would earn at least 25% to 50% less on OTT platforms in comparison to releasing their movie across theatres in India as well as overseas. “For example, a film of Stree, Badhai Ho and Raazi’s calibre would easily lose between ₹35 to 55 crores per film by avoiding the theatrical release. But there is no option for a few producers, as once the theatres, open windows for releasing films even of A-list actors would be very limited,” Murlidhar Chhatwani, Managing Partner, Panorama Studios Distribution The existential crisis of cinema halls in India <div type="image" title="250E5197-081D-4523-B580-FFD3FEEB39D6" msid="75563911" hostid="261"></div>Tickets counter of Fun cinema in Hinoo area wears a deserted look after state government announced a closure of all major public places including cinema halls amid corona scare in Ranchi (BCCL) Apart from big producers, theatres also don’t want films to be released on OTT platforms as it would eat their business. On April 5, Multiplexes Association of India urged all producers and directors to refrain from the digital release of the film and wait until the theatres are open again. Cinema halls in India are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-await-for-behind-the-screens-as-they-lose-150-crore-a-week/articleshow/74689696.cms">losing ₹150 crore a week</a> ever since India shut down 9500 screens over coronavirus outbreak. In South, Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association (TNTOA) have threatened 2D Animation — a production house of actor Surya — after it reportedly made a ₹9 crore deal to release film on Amazon Prime. Theatres are banking on post covid-19 release of films in large numbers for the revival of their business. See also:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-may-not-open-in-india-until-june-end/articleshow/75407053.cms">Cinema halls may not open in India until June end</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/disney-hotstar-amazon-prime-videos-zee-5-gained-a-lot-this-lockdown-and-it-might-not-be-temporary-either/articleshow/75443378.cms">Streaming platforms who are on a new high — are hosting web premiers and might even expand to gaming</a>

A film producer, a critic, and analysts explain an existential threat to Indian movie makers

When you are in Bollywood, don’t expect critical appreciation to go hand in hand with <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword> success. Last Friday (March 21), a total of five movies hit the theatres, but with the sole exception of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/movies/Box-Office-RaginiMMS-2-Thrills-All-Gang-Of-Ghosts-Lacks-Finesse/articleshow/32673836.cms">Sunny Leone-starrer Ragini MMS 2</a>, the other four failed to impact the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword>. As we discussed yesterday, Gang of Ghosts turned out to be an average movie but this time, let us have a look at the other three. 
 
Both <keyword id="875510" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ankhon-Dekhi">Ankhon Dekhi</keyword> and <keyword id="6526" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lakshmi">Lakshmi</keyword> are exceptional movies but look like box office bombs, unless they turn out to be <keyword id="1165784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sleeper-hits">sleeper hits</keyword>. Written and directed by <keyword id="51" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajat-Kapoor">Rajat Kapoor</keyword> (he also plays one of the lead roles), the multi-starrer flick Ankhon Dekhi had poor response on Day 1 and could not even cross Rs 5 crore during the opening weekend, as per industry estimates (official numbers are yet to come in). It is the same tale of lacklustre <keyword id="2168413" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="BO-performance">BO performance</keyword> with Nagesh Kukunoor-directed Lakshmi although this one should be the most lauded, going by its sensitive yet realistic treatment of <keyword id="6357490" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Human-trafficking">human trafficking</keyword>, <keyword id="6476483" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Child-prostitution">child prostitution</keyword> and <keyword id="1834687" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sexploitation">sexploitation</keyword> of <keyword id="624" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Women">women</keyword> in general. As for <keyword id="2165865" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kolkata-Junction">Kolkata Junction</keyword>, a drama-thriller directed by <keyword id="10158" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anjan-Dutt">Anjan Dutt</keyword>, the opening weekend collections reportedly stood at Rs 9 crore. 
 Theme-wise, these three flicks vary widely, but one can also notice the similarities without much effort. All three of them are <keyword id="1108336" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="low-budget-movies">low-budget movies</keyword>, don’t have so-called ‘hot’ star cast (although the veterans have actually acted their hearts out), the promotion part has been pretty low key and finally, none of them hit too many screens like the big-budget films do. Should we call that a sure-shot recipe for box office disaster? The promotion part needs to strategised well if good movies are to get great response. 
 
 
 Coming back to <keyword id="819874" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="the-movies">the movies</keyword>, we must say Ankhon Dekhi is worth the watch. It is a typical Rajat Kapoor film – funny, satirical and at the same time, deeply touching. It tells the tale of Raje Bauji (<keyword id="62834" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sanjay-Mishra">Sanjay Mishra</keyword>), a Delhi-based man in his late 50s, who only believes what he sees. The <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> that follows walks you through the life of a commoner and the compromises he is compelled to make to survive in a hostile world. As one <keyword id="210839" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Critic">critic</keyword> says, “It is cinematically ecstatic... made beautifully on a very low budget… high on performances.” 
 
Nagesh Kukunoor-directed Lakshmi is an exceptional story of trauma and tragedy, courage and triumph. <keyword id="250" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Singer">Singer</keyword> <keyword id="294857" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Monali-Thakur">Monali Thakur</keyword> makes her acting debut as Lakshmi, a 13-year-old who has been kidnapped and sold into prostitution. The ruthless reality portrayed by every single character makes us squirm and ask ourselves the very question the movie is asking – are we being human? 
 
It’s not surprising that <keyword id="6354925" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kolkata">Kolkata</keyword> Junction has done a bit better at the ticket windows than the other two. After all, who can escape the allure of an entertaining drama-thriller featuring the likes of <keyword id="6354338" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Naseeruddin-Shah">Naseeruddin Shah</keyword>, <keyword id="29287" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="kay-kay-menon">Kay Kay Menon</keyword>, <keyword id="6354732" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sonali-Kulkarni">Sonali Kulkarni</keyword>, <keyword id="4666" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jimmy-Shergill">Jimmy Shergill</keyword>, <keyword id="17610" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sandhya-Mridul">Sandhya Mridul</keyword> and <keyword id="6059" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rituparna-Sengupta">Rituparna Sengupta</keyword>? Both the storyline and the performance are bound to thrill the audience and the numbers may look better after the second weekend. 
 
Images: Indiatimes

Ankhon Dekhi, Lakshmi
Disappoint At Box Office But Capture Hearts

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-video-footage-shows-sun-solar-activity-increasing-2023-5">NASA's</a> and Europe's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-esa-solar-orbiter-captured-video-of-sun-eruptions-2021-5">Solar Orbiter</a> discovered tiny jets erupting from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/second-giant-coronal-hole-sun-solar-winds-space-weather-aurora-2023-3">a "hole" in the sun</a>.</li><li>Images from the spacecraft show these "picoflares" seem to be bursting all over <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunspots-record-concerns-over-power-outages-grounded-flights-radio-blackouts-2023-7">the sun</a> constantly.</li></ul>The Solar Orbiter spacecraft was zipping through space when <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronal-hole-on-sun-blasts-solar-wind-toward-earth-2023-3">a "hole" opened up in the sun's atmosphere</a> near its south pole.It wasn't really a hole, per se. It was a coronal hole — a spot in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sun-more-active-solar-storms-auroras-power-outages-grounded-flights-2023-2">the sun</a>'s outer atmosphere where the temperature has dropped. These "cool" spots don't glow as bright as the rest of the sun, which makes them look black, like a deep hole, in images.As <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-orbiter-closest-photos-videos-ever-taken-of-the-sun-2020-7">Solar Orbiter</a> watched the hole, in March 2022, its powerful extreme-ultraviolet instrument spotted something nobody had seen before: teeny tiny flares erupting everywhere.<h2>Meet 'picoflares'</h2>Look closely at the edge of the sun in the video footage below. One of the small flares protrudes as a dark line from the solar surface: Scientists couldn't previously detect these mini <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-flare-from-sunspot-caused-widespread-radio-blackouts-earth-2023-5">flares</a> because they're so small — well, on solar scales.These bright jets of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sun-polar-vortex-video-from-solar-plasma-break-2023-2">plasma</a> are each a few hundred kilometers long, and disappear after 20 to 100 seconds. Each one emits as much energy as 3,000 to 4,000 US households consume in a year, solar physicist Lakshmi Pradeep Chitta told <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=af7c12dcdb713d8c0b64e20c8dfda022e9d1514876e97479c7eada8b9b2e6f20&amp;postID=64e8ca38065a66ec8f78b627&amp;postSlug=pico-solar-flares-erupting-hole-in-sun-nasa-esa-images-2023-8&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-023-02668-5">Nature</a>.That's nothing compared to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-flare-coronal-eruption-geomagnetic-storm-effects-safety">solar flares</a> that scientists are used to. The biggest type of solar eruption is called an X-class flare, which emits the energy equivalent of one billion hydrogen bombs. That's one billion times more energy than the nano-flares at the other end of the spectrum.<div type="image" title="the sun in blue showing flares and eruptions" height="1800" width="2400" msid="103086028" hostid="261" sizebytes="123538"></div>The newly discovered flares have 1,000 times less energy than a nanoflare, which is one-trillionth the energy of an X-flare. So scientists call them "picoflares," in a new <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade5801" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> of the findings, published in the journal Science on Thursday.Because these picoflares were all over the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronal-holes-definition-causes-sun-earth-cme-storm-winds-2023-3">coronal hole</a>, the researchers suspect that they're all over the rest of the sun, too.<h2>Picoflares could be the source of the solar wind that's blasting Earth</h2><div type="image" title="Solar Wind" height="360" width="640" msid="103086029" hostid="261" sizebytes="42846"></div>Picoflares could unlock one of the sun's biggest secrets: how it produces a powerful stream of electrically charged particles and strong magnetic fields, which constantly blasts Earth.That stream, called the "solar wind," gets supercharged when coronal holes or big solar flares are pointed at our planet. The resulting inundation can block radio signals on Earth, disable power grids, and even push satellites out of orbit.The consolation prize of such a solar storm is that it triggers beautiful <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/northern-lights-aurora-borealis-visible-17-states-including-new-york-2023-7">auroras, aka Northern Lights</a>.Scientists want to understand the solar wind so that they can forecast it better, giving Earth more time to prepare for its impacts.Picoflares could be a key source of the solar wind. Each little eruption sends plasma full of magnetic fields out into space, and the eruptions seem to be constantly happening. They must contribute a significant amount of material to the solar wind, possibly enough to sustain it by themselves, the scientists concluded.<h2>Seeing the sun up close, at smaller scales, could reveal its secrets</h2><div type="image" title="Solar Orbiter sun Campfires" height="1536" width="2048" msid="103086031" hostid="261" sizebytes="107874"></div>Recent <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/acaf6c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">findings</a> from NASA's Parker Solar Probe support the idea that constant, previously imperceptible flares could be fueling the solar wind. Those researchers reported other "small-scale jetting activity.""Jets, in general, have previously been observed in the solar corona," Chitta, who led the Solar Orbiter study and a team at Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, told <a href="https://www.space.com/rapid-tiny-jets-solar-orbiter-wind-power">Space.com</a>. "The picoflare jets that we observed are the smallest, and energetically the weakest, type of jets in the solar corona that were not observed before."It's possible that even smaller, more frequent jets we can't see yet are also fueling the solar wind, the European Space Agency reported.<h2>As the sun gets more active, it's a great time to study solar wind</h2><div type="image" title="the sun full disc roiling deep orange plasma peppered with bright spots and suddenly a bright flash occurs on a spot on the sun's upper left followed by a burst of orange tendrils shooting into space" height="500" width="500" msid="103086033" hostid="261" sizebytes="30660"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-nasa-launching-new-spacecraft-toward-the-sun-2020-1">NASA and the ESA launched Solar Orbiter in 2020</a>, with a goal of studying these winds at their source. Someday, scientists hope to better forecast the space weather that comes from the sun.Now is a great time to study that question, as the sun's activity is building up to the peak of its 11-year cycle. Flares, coronal holes, and other powerful eruptions on the sun are becoming more common."Overall now it's a gold mine," Andrei Zhukov, a solar physicist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, who works with Solar Orbiter and co-authored the new study, told Nature.

Images from the Solar Orbiter spacecraft reveal tiny flares shooting from a 'hole' in the sun. They could explain how the sun blasts Earth with charged particles.

<ul><li>Cinema halls in India might remain shut for at least two more months until June end, predicts a report by Prabhdas Lilladher. </li><li>Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Lakshmi Bomb might release directly on Disney+ Hotstar amid coronavirus pandemic. </li><li>Industry experts estimated that film exhibitors in India will lose at least ₹3,500 crores. Moreover, according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO Ormax Media, these halls are losing ₹150 crore a week. </li></ul>There is bad news for all those who are wishing to rush to their nearest movie theatres soon after the lockdown ends. Cinema halls in India might remain shut for at least a month more until June end, according to a report by Prabhdas Lilladher. The coronavirus pandemic forced several states including Maharashtra and Kerala to close theatres a week before India announced a complete lockdown on March 24. It means they are already shut for 40 days which might extend to 60 days more. “The process of reopening will be gradual in nature. For instance, in some states where the COVID-19 risk is low theatres may open. However, till the time this rise resides completely, big-ticket releases may be postponed as producers may not want to lose out on business in other regions,” said the report. Every week that theatres remain closed, they’re accumulating losses to the tune of ₹150 crore, according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO Ormax Media. Film distributors are staring at losses of ₹3,500 crore as of now, a<a href="https://www.firstpost.com/health/video-of-agra-quarantine-facility-inmates-reaching-for-water-food-goes-viral-distribution-delay-made-them-restless-says-official-8303381.html?utm_source=izooto&amp;utm_medium=push_notifications&amp;utm_campaign=Video%20of%20Agra%20quarantine%20facility%20inmates%20reaching%20for%20water%20food%20goes%20viral%20distribution%20delay%20made%20them%20restless%20says%20offic&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=">ccording to CARE Ratings</a>. Even after they open, they might not see many footfalls due to malls and will also be subject to strict social distancing norms. Due to this bleak outlook, the stocks of PVR Cinemas and INOX are on a free fall. The stock of PVT saw a 55% decline in its share between February 19 and April 27. Whereas INOX share price has declined 58% between February 24 and April 27. There is more panic in the air Since Covid-19 is an unknown devil, a lot of new research is hitting the internet every day. Even as many people discuss if the virus is airborne, a research says that a common air conditioner can spread the virus. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/cisco-accenture-genpact-and-others-hiring-for-technology-profiles/articleshow/75399629.cms">Scientists in China have earlier claimed</a> hat air conditioners can infect 10 people who are sitting near an infected person. They studied a restaurant in Guangzhou, China where an asymptomatic case has infected nine people. They recommended an increase in distance between tables and improved ventilation to contain the spread. Uncertainty on the survival of Single screens Cinema halls in India have had a bad start in 2020. First of all, it had few hits to boast of like Tanhaji and Baaghi 3. Then the coronavirus outbreak forced it to close doors as per government orders. The worst-hit among these theatres were single screens. “Single screens have been facing an existential crisis for a long time. Already fraught with hygiene and maintenance challenges which were hurting footfalls, COVID-19 induced lockdown has posed a direct threat on their survival,” said the report. Single screens exhibitors are hoping to seek a relief package from the government Is online release the future of movies? From the other side, the closure of theatres has delayed the release of several big movies like Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. A few producers are also considering releasing them directly onto streaming platforms. Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Lakshmi Bomb is one such film that might release on Disney+ Hotstar amid coronavirus pandemic. The film, remake of Muni 2: Kanchana, is expected to be completed by June, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshay-kumars-laxmmi-bomb-might-release-on-disney-hotstar-instead-of-theatres-report-2218162">said a media report. </a> Previously, Irfan Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer Angrezi Medium was released on Disney+ Hotstar immediately after its theatrical release in March after Covid-19 concerns hit footfalls. OTT platforms in India too are upping their game, by launching shows and movies to engage people during lockdown. Amazon Prime, recently, added Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan a gay comic love story which was released in February this year. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others. </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-await-for-behind-the-screens-as-they-lose-150-crore-a-week/articleshow/74689696.cms">Cinema halls lose ₹150 crore a week with lockdowns and delayed releases</a>

Cinema halls may not open in India until June end

<ul><li>Even after the record growth witnessed by streaming services in India, the question remains whether these platforms can retain the massive lockdown gains </li><li>With streaming services under pressure to provide new content frequently and producers trying to not lose money in films, web premiers might be another new normal. </li><li>Moreover, a KPMG report suggested that OTT platforms should look at gaming as an extension to their ecosystem offerings. </li></ul>Streaming services are the only bright spot for the millions who are isolating at home during lockdown. With ample leisure time and fewer options, usage of streaming platforms surged. Most of the 35 streaming giants in India — <keyword id="3960758" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Videos">Amazon Prime Videos</keyword>, <keyword id="6245082" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">Zee5</keyword>. Voot, Hungama, AltBalaji, MX Player — witnessed a record growth fueled by quarantine. The Big Boost During the lockdown, there was a 265% increase in OTT traffic since February last week — in spite of the drop from HD to SD, according to Internet Exchange operator DE-CIX. The five services that gained the most are Amazon Prime Videos, Netflix, Youtube, Zee5 and Hotstar. Disney+ — which was launched soon after India locked itself down —<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/08/disney-has-more-than-50m-subscribers/"> added 8 million users </a>within a week. Whereas, Netflix India — which was earlier losing to the homegrown market — too <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/exclusive-app-tracking-data-for-netflix-reveals-the-countries-where-usage-spiked-in-march-and-suggests-strong-viewership-heading-into-q1-earnings/articleshow/75162782.cms">saw at least an 8% growth in Q1FY20 driven</a> by its cheapest mobile online plan at ₹199. Zee5, a homegrown OTT platform, saw 36% growth during the lockdown. Whereas its foreign arm, <keyword id="7124509" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5-Global">Zee5 Global</keyword> saw a 60% surge in users across the world including the Middle East and Canada. Alt Balaji, yet another homegrown platform, saw a 60% growth in its subscription. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">OTT services </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change in viewership due to Covid-19 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Netflix India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+8% in Q1 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Zee5 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+36% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hungama Play </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+20% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Eros Now </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+70-100% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MX Player</td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">130% surge on engagement </td></tr></tbody></table> A short-term spike or a long-term gain A<a href="https://rollingstoneindia.com/how-the-coronavirus-is-impacting-audio-and-video-streaming-in-india/"> Nielsen report</a> predicted that lockdown can trigger a 60% rise in content consumption in India. Even after the record growth witnessed by streaming services in India, the question remains whether these platforms can retain the massive gains post lockdown. Hence, when Netflix recently said it added a record 15.8 million paid subscribers globally, it also added that it is treating it as “<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/21/neflix-q1-earnings/">a short-term spike” and the growth will gradually decline. </a> A KPMG report, however, believes that OTTs are likely to see continued accelerated growth. "While the same levels of consumption may not be achieved once we overcome this pandemic, there is definitely a new and higher normal that is likely to be established when it comes to time spent on OTT platforms," Girish Menon, Partner and Head, Media and Entertainment, KPMG in India told Business Insider. Moreover, Menon believes consumers are likely to develop a habit of consuming video online during lockdown which would later drive subscription growth. However, According to Karan Bedi, MX Player, OTT platforms might witness some immediate dip post lockdown, but the overall base and average time spent would continue the rise. With shooting of new TV series being delayed and movie theatres closed, services with large, legacy libraries and fresh content, have an inherent advantage. “A new normal has been witnessed as consumers adapt to the evolving situation of the pandemic. We feel this pattern will stay as it is in the post-COVID-19 era as well and perhaps there will be some incremental change in the overall user growth,” Aparna Acharekar, programming head of ZEE5 India. Ferzad Palia, who heads Voot Select in India too thinks the same. Rohit Paranjpe who heads SugarBox Networks believes new content will continue to enthuse people. The pressure on OTT services to release new content more frequently may also go up. Also, OTT players too should not be happy just retaining users and will have to engage them more. Apart from films, KPMG in a report suggested OTT platforms look at gaming as an extension to ecosystem offerings. “OTT will look to bring their consumer’s value in other areas: from aggregating other third party content providers who are not competing with them to promoting and pushing other adjacent services, like fitness and food delivery apps, and education platforms,” said Lior Friedman, VP - global partnerships and strategy at Amdocs Media. Directly onto OTT platforms With streaming services under pressure to provide new content frequently and producers trying to not lose money in films products, web premiers might be a new normal. Lakshmi Bomb featuring Akshay Kumar might release on Disney+Hotstar. MUBI is premiering Pablo Larrain’s film ‘Ema’ in India, UK and Ireland on May 2. Whereas, Zee5 is also considering premiering movies directly on its platform in the near future. AB Anni CD will be yet another film to be released directly on Amazon Prime Videos. Akshay Bardapur, the producer of the movie that stars Amitabh Bachchan said, “We didn’t want to keep audiences from watching two megastars. Also, it made sense to recover losses by selling content to the OTT.” But big-budget movies are preferring to hold back. Recently, the makers of Ranvir Singh starrer movie ‘83 said they will release the film in theatres first even <a href="https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/ranveer-singhs-83-to-not-release-on-ott-platforms-makers-aim-for-theatrical-release/articleshow/75401861.cms">if they had to wait for six or nine months. </a> “While producers of movies that have a reasonable budget may experiment with releasing movies directly on OTT platforms or opt for a pay-per-view model, bigger films are unlikely to be released until later this year or next year,” says Neeraj Roy, founder and CEO of Hungama Digital Media. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-may-not-open-in-india-until-june-end/articleshow/75407053.cms">Cinema halls may not open in India until June end</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others</a>

You Searched For "Lakshmi Bomb" and got 5 results

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