Telugu producers today are far more strategic, ensuring financial safety before a film even goes to set.
At the start of production, they approach OTT platforms to check if there is interest in acquiring the project in advance. Only when an OTT platform shows confidence in the concept do they proceed.
The budget is then planned strictly based on the price the OTT platform is willing to offer, and producers assess how much theatrical risk they can afford to take.
This pattern is being followed not just by individual producers but also by major corporate houses.
Those who ignore this evolving ecosystem and rely solely on the belief that a good script and honest filmmaking will guarantee returns often end up facing problems.
Some new producers, unfamiliar with the business model, fall prey to directors who convince them with impressive narrations but little market understanding.
Except for such inexperienced newcomers, almost no producer now greenlights a film without involving an OTT platform from the very beginning.
The industry is shifting firmly toward calculated, OTT-driven decision making. Yes, industry is slowly changing from hero-driven to OTT-driven!
