When the pandemic struck, the film industry came to a standstill. Shoots were halted and with theatres identified as high risk areas, the future seemed bleak and uncertain. But, some from the industry were quick to analyse the scenario and adapt to it. The first south Indian film to be made for a direct Over-the-Top release during the pandemic was C U Soon.
Jimmy, who works in the UAE, matches with Anumol from Dubai, on Tinder. As they get to know each other better, they swiftly move from Tinder to Google Hangouts and so on. It is through these digital interactions that we are introduced to Jimmy’s world and its characters in CU Soon. From romantic conversations and flirtatious looks, the relationship between Jimmy and Anumol takes a serious turn when Kevin, Jimmy’s cousin with a hi-tech job, snoops and deciphers the mystery around Anumol and her life. With the story told entirely through screens, C U Soon eliminated the need for a large cast and crew, and the team worked with minimal sets. The film starred Roshan Mathew, Darshana Rajendran and Fahadh Faasil in lead roles.
Apart from the plot and its actors, it is also the making of the movie that left audiences stunned. Director Mahesh Narayanan and producers Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya Nazim decided to make C U Soon during the pandemic to help people in the industry earn a living. It was shot and released in September last year, at a time when film industries across the globe were still coming to terms with the coronavirus outbreak and the pandemic-induced lockdowns.
Around C U Soon's release, there were reports about the Film Exhibitors Union of Kerala (FEUOK) being unhappy with Fahadh opting for OTT. However, the issue was resolved with Fahadh reportedly promising the FEUOK that he will not release another film on OTT in the immediate future. But with the pandemic raging on, Fahadh moved on with more films, shot and released during this period. With a number of subsequent Over-the-top (OTT) releases, Fahadh has proven to be one of the few south Indian actors who have managed to adapt to OTT platforms and utilise the medium to its fullest.
“CU Soon was the first Malayalam film designed for OTT and also shot during the pandemic. Fahadh Faasil is the undisputed superstar of OTT from Malayalam cinema and his films have all been successful on OTT,” Malayalam film critic Neelima Menon tells TNM. Dileesh Pothan’s Joji, w
Thriller film Irul marked actor Fahadh’s third OTT release post the coronavirus pandemic. Featuring only the three lead characters (Darshana Rajendran, Soubin Shahir and Fahadh), the Naseef Yusuf Izuddin directorial released in Netflix on April this year. The film was shot during the COVID-19 lockdown that was in place in September and October last year. With most of the film being set indoors, Irul was reportedly shot within a single schedule. The 39-year-old actor’s latest film, Malik was initially slated for theatrical release but subsequently premiered on Amazon Prime Video. Interestingly, both CU Soon and Joji were bankrolled by Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya under their home banner Fahadh Faasil and Friends.
Suriya, who is not only one of the leading actors of Kollywood, but also a producer, has been part of a number of OTT films since last year. Bankrolled by actors Suriya and Jyotika under their home banner 2D Entertainment, Ponmagal Vandha
In the same year, one of Suriya’s most-anticipated movies in recent times, Soorarai Pottru,
Speaking to TNM, film writer and industry tracker Sreedhar Pillai draws parallels between Fahadh and Suriya’s clout in the OTT landscape. “Fahadh has become the OTT superstar since last year. Every major platform wants to do a movie with the actor. He did not have the same kind of theatrical opening as Mohanlal, but in the OTT space, he does,” Sreedhar notes. He adds, “However, Suriya has always had a good run at the box office and he has also now emerged as a major OTT player in Kollywood."
Suriya and Jyotika’s 2D Entertainment has recently inked a four-film deal with Amazon Prime Video. The list of movies includes the Gnanavel directorial Jai Bhim, a legal drama starring Suriya and Rajisha Vijayan in the lead, as well as Udanpirappe, featuring
Apart from Suriya and Fahadh, other actors too have had OTT releases in the past few months. From Mohanalal’s Drishyam 2 and Prithviraj’s Cold Case to Dhanush’s Jagame Thandhiram,
“At the moment, OTT is clearly working better than movies that are releasing in theatre. But we cannot take a final call now. It will co-exist for sure,” Sreedhar Pillai says. However, he points out that filmmakers might go back to theatres once the COVID-19 situation subsides, especially in the Tamil film industry. “Box office collections and theatrical openings have played a huge role in Tamil cinema since MGR’s times, especially since many stars have also entered politics. The collections and fan following have always acted as the indicators of a star and it is considered as something that makes or breaks an actor. Although stars get recognition through OTT too, they might not be ready to give up the fan following and mammoth box office collections yet,” he observes.
Explaining how the Malayalam industry is coping with the pandemic, Neelima says, “Malayalam cinema I think is slowly coming to terms with the OTT landscape but I think OTT still largely remains a last resort even now for Malayalam cinema.”
Sreedhar Pillai adds that unlike box office collections, it is not possible to gauge the monetary performance of movies on OTT since the data is not publicly accessible. “OTT platforms are driven by viewership and subscriptions, so they do not reveal monetary details about profits or fiscal performances of movies,” he says.
Meanwhile, experts also note how OTT has paved the way for a range of scripts that are diverse and experimental. With the release of films like The Great Indian Kitchen that have performed exceedingly well, filmmakers are no longer expected to work solely within the confines of scripts/ subjects that are considered to be ‘commercially viable’. “There is no formula as such but content is the king when it comes to OTT. A film that has good content as well as a star like Suriya might be a bonanza but if the content does not live up, actors cannot salvage it,” Sreedhar says.
Besides movies, OTT has also widened the scope for web series. Shows featuring female characters in titular roles are especially on the rise and have garnered eyeballs. Samantha Akkineni’s The Family Man 2, Tamannaah Bhatia’s November Story and Amala Paul’s Kudi Yedamaithe serve as fine examples. Citing the example of Joji, Neelima speaks about shows and storylines made for OTT and observes, "Joji was made for OTT and therefore the storyline was altered to suit that. I think that's the best part about OTT— well-rounded characters for women, especially web series headlining interesting female characters.” Neelima adds that although she personally prefers the theatre experience, OTT is a godsend for indie films.