The Hindi filmmakers have started opting for OTT release again. With the majority of the films released this year flopping at the box office, the makers have begun playing it safe and favouring direct-to-digital release over the regular theatrical medium. The mid-budget films without large-scale action or grandeur have all underperformed at the ticket windows, clearly indicating that audiences are preferring only large-scale entertainers in theatres while the small to medium-budget flicks are mostly consumed on OTT platforms. In the past few months, we have seen a number of Bollywood films skip theatrical releases, and the trend is likely to continue for some more time.
Peepingmoon.com has learned that many more Hindi films are taking the digital route for release, and the latest to opt for that path is Pawan Kripalani’s Gaslight. The Sara Ali Khan, Vikrant Massey, and Chitrangda Singh starrer will directly premiere on Disney+ Hotstar. "Gaslight is a psychological thriller with a strikingly unconventional plot, which might not be of interest to theater-going audiences. This genre of movies has worked better on OTT than in cinemas in the past, and hence the makers have decided to give it a digital release as that would give the film a better reach besides the financial safety that comes with it," an industry source told us, adding that they are eyeing a January 2023 premiere, but the exact streaming date is not yet set. The film’s plot has not been revealed yet, but we believe it talks about psychological manipulation seen in an abusive relationship.
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Gaslight joins the list of movies set for direct-to-OTT release in the coming months. Disney+Hotstar recently premiered Kartik Aaryan’s Freddy and will release Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, and Kiara Advani starrer Govinda Naam Mera tomorrow. Yami Gautam’s investigative thriller, Lost, and Rakul Preet’s social drama, Chhatriwali, are gearing up for release on Zee5 in January, while Sidharth Malhotra and Rashmika Mandanna's Mission Majnu will also directly premiere on Netflix on January 20. Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s romantic comedy, Tiku Weds Sheru, meanwhile, is set to release on Amazon Prime Video.
