The second wave of Covid is taking a toll on the Telugu film industry. Many cinema halls across the twin Telugu states have already shut operations and there is no clear update so as to when they will be reopened. As of now, it looks like theatrical business won’t be hitting the top gear in the near future.
In a bid to make the most out of the current situation, OTT giants Netflix and Amazon have started focusing on Telugu films now. They have already initiated talks with the respective makers of medium-budget films namely Paagal, SR Kalyanamandapam, Gully Rowdy, Good Luck Sakhi, Akashavani, etc.
Given the uncertainty surrounding theatrical revenues, the producers of medium-budget films are also willing to negotiate with OTT platforms.
We can expect quite a few Telugu films to skip theatrical release and premiere directly on OTT platforms in the next few weeks.
The makers of A-lister films starring top actors are not interested in direct to digital release proposal. They are willing to wait for theatres to reopen.