As online content consumption spikes during lockdown, Over the Top (OTT) content producer Hotstar-Disney has rented Hyderabad’s famous Ramoji Film City for three years to increase content production. The move has put an unofficial embargo on other film units to shoot in this premise and is now seen as a possible threat to movie theatres.
During the lockdown, the movie theaters have already suffered a loss of Rs 15 crore. Owners fear that if people get substantial content online, then it will refrain them from watching films in cinema halls. They also fear that this could possibly make film producers to make content only for OTT and they may suffer huge losses.
By reserving this place, Hotstar-Disney intends to have an advantage to produce content for online consumption in coming years. Disney label had acquired Star & Hotstar in 2019. The merger has made Hotstar the biggest OTT platform in Asia.
Meanwhile, many big banners released their films online during the lockdown. Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer film Gulabo Sitabo was released recently. Also, Akshay Kumar’s Laxxmi Bomb, Vidya Balan’s Shakuntala Devi and Janhvi Kapoor’s Gunjan Saxena will also be released soon on OTT.