Indian filmmakers should cut production cost by at least 30%, says Ekta Kapoor

• One of India’s biggest producers, Ekta Kapoor, says streaming giants will go for movies which are economical.
  
• She suggested Indian film makers to start producing cost-effective films so that they can approach OTT players in case they are unable to release their films theatrically.
  
• Kapoor is confident that people will still watch films — even if they stream it online.

Indian film and television producer Ekta Kapoor believes the budgets for movies should go down by at least 30% post the COVID-19 crisis.

“I would say to keep in mind that tomorrow supply vs demand might change with different apps, because there are only three or four big apps picking up films people like us will be making more content instead, they will have to deliberately keep cost at 30% lower, one sector i.e theatres have gone down,” Ekta Kapoor, Joint Managing Director and Creative Head of 'Balaji Telefilms Limited', told Business Insider in its latest episode of the Big reset.



Kapoor is the Managing director of Balaji Telefilms and is famous for producing some of best-selling soap operas for more than two decades.

She suggested Indian film makers to start producing cost-effective films so that they can approach OTT players in case they are unable to release their films theatrically.

“Since everyone is aware of the situation being so drastic, the industry must come together and say let’s make cost-effective films, tomorrow if they don’t release in the theatres there are many apps,” Kapoor told Business Insider


“Film will be watched”
While India was under lockdown, the multiplexes did not only lose ticket sales but also sales from pricey food and cold drinks served within the theatres. This, in turn,will reduce the returns multiplexes used to share with the film producers.

“We (Balaji telefilms) are now pumping more money into films because we believe deliberation will lead to celebration — and it takes one and half to a year to make a movie. We’re hoping that there is a mindset change and we are investing”

Kapoor says Balaji telefilms simultaneously is also investing in digital platforms now and television.

“We are not scared as the producers of the industry know if the film can’t be released automatically there’s a digital platform where the film will be watched,” Kapoor added.


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