A recent feature article by Film Companion quotes experts in the know as saying that Indian OTTs have stopped commissioning big-ticket web shows and series like before. Shows like 'Sacred Games' and 'Paatal Lok' were extremely popular a few years ago.
Revenues have been dropping and the cost of content creation has been on the rise. It is a double whammy that the OTT platforms, especially those operating in Hindi-language streaming, are facing.
Hindi-language streaming is one area where quality work is coming. A lot of talented directors and writers are raring to narrate path breaking stories. Yet, the streaming scene will only see an "incremental" growth in the coming years. The report says that non-fiction shows are more cost-effective than fiction shows.
While the demand for web series remains strong in India, viewers are cost-conscious. They are eager to consume content, but high subscription fees across multiple platforms can be a barrier.
Even the Aha model of charging extremely low for subscribers has not ensured high profits. Recently, there were reports that the Telugu-language OTT platform hasn't been making profits.
