Digital streaming of Tamil films has come of age, with Amazon announcing a long-term tie-up with leading producer and Tamil Film Producers Council chief Kalaippuli Thanu’s V Creations. Rajinikanth’s Kabali and Vijay’s Theri , both produced by Thanu, will be streamed through Amazon Prime Video India.
Kalaippuli S Thanu says, “ Kabali and Theri are two of Tamil cinema’s highest-grossing films of all times, and Amazon Prime Video is the perfect partner to help us reach millions of fans. I think it is the way forward and will become popular in the coming months.”
The announcement has brought in a lot cheer as Kollywood opens up officially to the digital world and streaming, at a time when pirates rule. It also comes at a time when Kodi and Kaashmora were illegally uploaded on Facebook Live on the release day itself. Producer P.L. Thenappan says, “It is a welcome move by Amazon to stream Tamil films officially. It will provide some solace to producers. The satellite market does not exist and there is rampant piracy, and we cannot do anything about the new threat of people uploading new releases on Facebook even before the matinee show starts.”
Nitesh Kripalani Director and Country Head, Amazon Prime Video India, says, “Kalaippuli S. Thanu is one of the most successful producers in the Tamil film industry, and we are thrilled to partner with him. Southern cinema and star-driven Tamil films have emerged among the most successful Indian content in the last decade, finding both national reach and viewers. We are certain that our Prime members will love the inclusion of these smashing titles in our selection within a few weeks of their theatrical release.”
Both Thanu and Amazon refused to talk about the deal value. However, industry sources reveal that both films were snapped up for around Rs. 9 crore. As per the deal, the films will be streamed only 100 days after its theatrical release for the Indian domestic consumer.
G. Dhananjayan, historian and Tamil film tracker, says: “This is a boon for Tamil cinema. They have started acquiring the digital rights of many new Tamil films at decent prices, which opens up a new revenue opportunity for producers, especially when satellite channels are not aggressively buying new films. The only challenge is going to be the window of the digital release. It should be faster, as online piracy is highest for Tamil cinema.”
But sceptics within the industry say that Tamil film viewers are addicted to online torrent sites and are used to watching it for free. Which means converting such users to buyers of pay per view content might become an uphill task. Amazon and Netflix differ in how they approach film content distribution. Amazon is willing for a reasonable theatre window and they don’t mind a theatre release before they’re allowed to stream content online. Netflix, on the other hand, wants a simultaneous release online along with the theatres, which is not going to happen soon in India. Netflix originals like Master of None , Narcos have become instant hits in India. They are now making their first Indian series on the best-selling novel Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra. And the grapevine has it that they are in talks with two leading Tamil production houses for making a Tamil series which will have a theatrical release also.
There are people who also believe that the satellite television market, which depends on film content for TRPs, will be revived. However, a top channel manager says,“The channels are united that they cannot buy films at old rates, which has resulted in the correction in the market. For example, before release, the producer of Theri and Kabali wanted Rs. 40 crore, and there were no takers, so ultimately, he made a wise decision by giving it to Amazon. Today, the valuation of any star film is only 20 to 35 per cent of what it was two years back.”
As per industry pundits, the market is changing, and the window between theatrical release and streaming is going to come down to 25 days. Senthil Kumar of Real Image Media Technologies feels, “Amazon and Netflix will bring in new revenue streams and will also reduce the impact of piracy. I also heard that they are commissioning exclusive content, which augers well for our new-age directors and actors willing to experiment. The good thing is that these companies are working with a long-term outlook.”
As PL Thenappan concludes, “The way Tamil films are being made and marketed is going to change in the next six months. Tamil cinema has to find new ways and means to fund films, especially after the recent demonetisation.”
Sreedhar Pillai
