Karthi’s OTT Speed.. A Threat to Theatrical Releases?

Karthi’s films Va Vaathiyaar and Sardar 2 made their digital debuts within a short period after their theatrical releases, following underwhelming performances at the box office. Va Vaathiyaar began streaming on Amazon Prime Video just 14 days after its theatrical release, from January 28. Meanwhile, Sardar 2 arrived on the same platform just 21 days after its theatrical release, from October 1. Traditionally, films featuring major stars have generally had theatrical windows of around four to eight weeks.

The trend of films moving to OTT platforms before completing a month in theatres has now sparked discussion within the film industry. Industry observers note that shorter OTT windows based on box-office performance could have an impact on theatrical business. If audiences increasingly expect films to become available at home just days after their theatrical release, it could potentially affect the box-office prospects of future films. The early digital premieres of Karthi’s films have therefore brought renewed attention to the changing theatrical-to-OTT release pattern.