Priyadarshan On Tamil Cinema’s OTT Vs Theatrical Row: ‘Both Theater Owners and Producers Should Survive’ (EXCLUSIVE)

The Tamil Film Producers Council announced on Friday that it has put its September 1 strike, which would halt film releases and shooting schedules, on hold. The decision came after the state government assured them of a tripartite meeting. The stand-off between producers, distributors, and theater owners stems from the theatrical-to-OTT release window. The Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association and Tamil Nadu Film Distributors Federation are seeking an eight-week window between a film’s theatrical release and its OTT premiere, which producers do not agree to.

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Amid the ongoing dispute, filmmaker Priyadarshan has called for a balanced approach, saying both theater owners and producers need to sustain their businesses. He says, “It is a question of business stability. I own theaters as well. Both theater owners and producers should survive. Sometimes theaters won’t have proper shows for small films. They’ll have four or five shows only. Then they will take the film away. So, the immediate income for the smaller film comes from selling it on OTT. If this (eight-week theatrical window) rule comes in, those producers are going to suffer.”

Rather than having a fixed theatrical-to-OTT window for every film, Priyadarshan suggests that the duration should be determined by a film’s box office performance. “But there can be flexibility in accordance with the collection of the film. If a big and superhit film is running in the theaters, there can be more space between its theatrical and OTT releases. And if a film is not doing well, it can be released earlier on OTT,” he adds.

Producers have objected to the eight-week theatrical window being announced without consultations with all stakeholders. Theater owners, meanwhile, have indicated that they are open to discussions with producers to find a solution. Praising Chief Minister Vijay and showing faith in his knowledge of films, the director quips, “We have a Chief Minister (C. Thomas Vijay, better known as Thalapathy) who is well-versed about cinema and will make a proper and sensible decision.”