How OTT filmmakers like Suravi Patnaik are driving the game away from Bollywood
Suravi Patnaik is a tech entrepreneur and film producer who started her career in films as a crew member in the Hollywood flick Mission Impossible: Fallout in 2018. She is also the co-founder of Sponsa Limited, a global company providing tech and film production services. In her short career, Suravi has successfully carved her niche as a businesswoman and believes the statement 'Vocal for Local' is not a code word in the startup world anymore, but is emerging fast as the voice of rising OTT platforms.
The Dying Star System
In
2018,
a
leading
filmmaker
complained
about
actors
being
delusional
by
demanding
irrational
pay
cuts
even
if
their
movies
don't
open
up
too
much
at
the
box
office.
Thanks
to
COVID,
this
undue
reliance
on
"star
system" and
box
office
openings
are
both
declining
fast,
giving
rise
to
more
"producer-friendly"
projects.
This,
in
conjunction
with
the
uptick
in
streaming
platforms
that
can
dish
out
regional
offerings
without
waiting
for
pan-India
theatres
has
only
reinforced
the
digital
platform,
says
Patnaik.
In
today's
fast
paced
world,
content
is
clearly
the
king
as
viewers
are
getting
tired
of
the
same
old
formula
of
a
"bankable
star"
with
chiseled
six
packs
or
photoshopped
item
songs.
Beyond Bollywood
With the spike in viewership of OTT platforms and regional content gaining prominence, it is believed to be the best time to be an outsider in Bollywood. The popularity of regional cinemas can be seen due to the growth in megacities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune as a melting pot for diverse cultures.
People now migrate and live in these cities, and are able to relate to regional cinema even if they don't speak the language. As a result, regional cinema is crossing language and medium barriers, and setting the cash flow on fire, believes Patnaik.
Film stars like Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma and Ritesh Deshmukh are among the few A-listers who boarded an early bus to produce regional languages on OTT platforms and give new talent a chance. This has paved the way for many talented artists to showcase their work in the industry.
According to a recent survey conducted by FICCI and EY, regional content consumption in OTT will continue to surge and is predicted to cross 50% by 2025 compared to its 30% share in 2019. This has only reinforced viewers' preference of content over the grandiose of Bollywood.
Apart from her commendable work in filmmaking despite being an outsider, Suravi has aced many other arenas of her life. From consecutively topping in school to receiving a prestigious award of a bright student, from clearing her Masters degree with flying colours to becoming an entrepreneur, Suravi has proven her talents over and over. She is an inspiration for all those young girls who want to make it big by chasing their dreams.