Films of Bollywood stars shine on OTT platforms but their web shows falter

While their box office hits are equally successful on OTT platforms, original shows that feature top actors often don’t find similar traction.

According to experts, recent box office successes such as Raid 2 and Kesari Chapter 2 featuring Bollywood stars such as Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar find considerable draw on streaming platforms and figure consistently among the top five films for weeks. However, web originals starring movie actors such as Saif Ali Khan (Jewel Thief), Sidharth Malhotra (Indian Police Force), Varun Dhawan (Citadel: Honey Bunny) and Sara Ali Khan (Ae Watan Mere Watan) failed to live up to expectations.

Experts said web shows starring mainstream film faces are often conceptualized to accommodate the actor and are not a compelling story to tell. Movies, on the other hand, land up on OTT with the advantage of marketing and buzz in cinemas. When it comes to online content, audiences are quick to dismiss sub-par programming, given the abundance of entertainment options across languages.

“The marketing and PR push around theatrical films is so aggressive and creates such a halo effect around them that people end up watching them almost by default on OTT, especially if the film has done well in theatres,” film producer Shariq Patel explained.

There is a readymade audience for a film that has been released in cinemas, and an OTT release only translates into repeat viewership. Meanwhile, streaming platforms operate very differently, often limiting the promotional push to markets such as Mumbai and other metros. It is also likely that the viewer may not know of a web show if the algorithm isn’t specifically designed to recommend it. As a result, till date, theatrical remains the beacon of what most actors aspire for.

Quite complacent

A senior executive at a streaming platform said on condition of anonymity that OTT services are also quite complacent once a mainstream star or big banner is on board to helm a web original.

“They think their job ends once these names come on board and they don’t see the need to go the hard mile of being creatively involved or pushing the envelope,” the executive said, adding that this is why the biggest hits on OTT aren’t shows starring typical Bollywood names, be it Panchayat on Prime Video or Criminal Justice on JioHotstar.

Also, because the production house has already made money upfront when the show is commissioned by the platform, there is little incentive to work hard or hunger to get noticed, as is the case with newer or smaller content studios.

Experts emphasized that these days, thematic depth and conviction matter more than who stars in a show or a film.

“Just star power is not enough on the big or the small screen. The audience can access fresh narratives in any language with just a click, and they know a good project from one that is not up to the mark,” film producer Anand Pandit said. “The audience traction today is dependent on the quality of content, be it on OTT platforms or in theatres. The stars have their loyal audience, but their fans too want their icons to work in projects that are worthy of their presence.”