As the OTT Vs Theatre debate refuses to simmer down, it’s unsurprising to find how celebrities are constantly asked about their take on the matter. While many believe OTT platforms offer better content and more creative freedom to makers, several others feel that everything pales in comparison to the magic of cinema. In keeping with a similar stance, despite the soaring success of OTTs at the moment, Tamil director Pa Ranjith believes that things are in a downward spiral as far as the future of OTT platforms is concerned.

In a candid interview, amidst the promotions of his next anthology film, Victim, which is set to release on SonyLIV on August 4, the filmmaker opined how OTT platforms have also started chasing A-listers for their projects. He also added that the platform will soon be deprived of creative freedom.

Ranjith claimed, “True. Even Netflix was buying quality content, but with time they also went for projects with star value. Now, they outright say they are not into buying anything that doesn’t have the star value. OTT platforms come with a lot of demands and want something that will suit their audience. They do interfere with the scripts. More than production companies, OTTs are putting heavy pressure on the makers.”

Pa Ranjith was accompanied by other prominent Tamil filmmakers who have worked on the anthology. Venkat Prabhu, Chimbu Deven, and Rajesh M. also weighed in on the debate. Prabhu opined, “It is true that smaller films are finding it difficult to seal OTT deals. As I mentioned earlier, so many films are released in theatres, but it is only really big action dramas or films made at a grand scale that are grabbing eyeballs. 

Even for films on OTT , having a star to pull the audiences in has become an important factor. If you look at the top 10 trending titles on Netflix in India, you are likely to only find projects featuring stars in the lead. There are good content-driven movies, but they don’t get the same kind of attention unless there are good reviews.”

Talking about Victim, the theme of the four-part anthology is about victims. The anthology stars Amala Paul, Prasanna, Nasser, Thambi Ramaiah, and Priya Bhavani Shankar in key roles. Pa Ranjith’s film – Dhammam will feature Kalaiarasan and Guru Somasundaram. 

(Featured Image Credits: Facebook @paranjith)