You will be completing four years at Applause in August. How would you describe his trip?
We revived Applause Entertainment as the Aditya Birla Group Venture in August 2017 with the intention of creating content for the emerging video streaming market popularly known as OTT (Over-the-Top) streaming. It was set up in the form of a traditional film studio and invested in the creation of premium drama series, from early writing and development to final production and the finished tape. The idea was to present self-financed, finished products platforms and to license them to them. We have produced and published 25 series so far, including some second seasons such as Scam 1992, Criminal Justice, City of Dreams, Undekhi, Mind the Malhotras and Hostages, among others, those on Disney + Hotstar, Amazon Prime, SonyLIV, Netflix and MX- Player. We invested roughly ₹400 crore in content creation, and that number is expected to grow 8-10 times over the next 5-7 years.
What is the impact of the pandemic on the content?
It was secondary. First, the complete suspension of all productions in both the first and second waves. Second, the delays in physical production due to the strict protocols that are followed during filming once the locks are lifted. Of course, the safety of the cast and crew is of the utmost importance, but stops and delays create logistics problems and adversely affect delivery times, completion dates and budgets. On the other hand, the pandemic and lockdown brought a huge new audience to the streaming world, and OTT content saw a surge in adoption and consumption. This has created an enormous demand for premium series, films, documentaries and a much more open-minded acceptance of various genres and languages with national and international content. We have also released our first series of films and documentaries, many of which are already in production.
Do web shows cost more than TV shows? How much is invested in OTT content in India?
It’s an unfair comparison – like apples and oranges. A typical season of a web series consists of around 10 episodes of 30-45 minutes each. A daily soap opera runs for a year, 250 episodes of 30 minutes each. The creative nuances, the production logistics and the profitability of both are very different. Web series, or Cinematic Television as we like to call it, are closer to an extended movie in terms of both ambition and narrative style. The costs of such series vary depending on the production scale and the cast of the ensemble. Not all shows require large budgets. Without local films and international series / film acquisitions, I would guess direct spending on local originals ₹3,000 crore per year, and the trend is rising.
As a programming veteran, how do you see the rules for information technology (guidelines for intermediaries and code of ethics for digital media) in 2021?
There has always been some kind of regulation that guides content creation. The proliferation of social media and OTT platforms has also led to new regulations designed to manage a rapidly changing industry and environment. In most cases, any regulation often reflects evolving societal norms and behaviors. It requires that we improve the quality of our writing and storytelling, and strive to entertain, enrich and empower a changing audience. I believe it is the task of the creative industries to respect the values and belief systems of society and to hold up a mirror to this society.
But isn’t the intent to censor content?
More than just censorship, a key concern stemming from unclear guidelines is the resulting business uncertainty. Audiovisual content creation (films, series, etc.) is extremely expensive and shifting goals about what is acceptable and what is not could lead to cautious handling of ideas and funding, which is not good for the creative industry.
Are you seeing any changes at Applause in terms of the type of shows you’re going to be doing now?
Not really. I don’t think personal biases and beliefs should get in the way of good storytelling. At Applause we try to tell stories as authentically and impartially as possible. It is up to the audience to understand text and subtext and to take emotions, memories and lessons from them.
What’s next to keep the creative freedom alive?
If we want to expand the content and media business and make India a global soft power through media and entertainment, this has to happen through a cultural export revolution. But this cannot be achieved with just a one-dimensional lens … it has to be rich and diverse, similar to our history, heritage and culture. I think this diversity in storytelling is the key to keeping creative freedom alive.
As the OTT industry in India matures, do you see changes in audience tastes?
For the first time, the Indian audience will taste multi-season premium drama series in cinema quality. The market potential is huge – both in terms of size and appetite. As everywhere in the world, the most popular genres here are crime fiction, thriller, comedy, romance, drama, young adults and tent poles for large events. Newer genres such as documentaries and animation are also gaining acceptance. The audience is hungry for all types of content, as long as they meet the increasing quality requirements and offer good value for money.
Is India still an “AND” market that supports both linear TV and streaming platforms?
I think it will remain an AND market for some time to come. In the west, cable cuts have been made due to the exorbitantly high cost of cable television, the relatively lower cost of streamers, and changes in viewer behavior, particularly among younger adults. In India it is exactly the opposite. India has one of the cheapest cable television services in the world, offering a wide variety of entertainment, sports, music, movies and news for just $ 3 a month. The impulse to cut the cord is therefore lower. But the streaming platforms are attracting newer audiences, offering new exciting content, and most importantly, introducing audiences to non-linear schedules, features like “resume” and “you may as well” and enable an “anytime, anywhere” experience . For a value-conscious mobile-first market like India with access to cheap data, streaming is the future.
What is the long-term impact of the pandemic on cinemas and direct-to-digital film releases?
The pandemic has seriously damaged theater operations, albeit not fatally. Hopefully after the theaters reopen, audiences will return in droves. People are social beings and the habit of going to the movies is ingrained in us. The recent box office successes in the United States after the pandemic are cause for joy. Apart from that, the pandemic put commercial Bollywood cinema in direct contrast to the premium cinematic drama series made for OTT. Apart from artistic comparisons, the closure of the cinemas also wiped out a significant source of income for the film industry that cannot be offset by satellite TV and streaming rights. The long-term implication of closed cinemas could shrink the entire film industry even as direct-to-platform films evolve and grow as a new genre of storytelling.
What will also change is the economics that drive traffic now that consumers are used to the television experience at home. They’ll be more demanding when it comes to paying for a theatrical experience, and that requires us as filmmakers to raise the bar significantly higher for big-screen entertainment.
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