After Gulabo Sitabo and Shakuntala Devi, it is the turn of Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl to go the OTT way. The Zee Studios and Dharma Productions film has been acquired by Netflix and will premiere on the streaming platform on a date to be announced shortly.
Rumours had been rife since two months that two films produced by Karan Johar would premiere on an OTT platform because of the COVID-19 lockdown and the uncertainty around the date when cinemas would reopen and, more importantly, when the public would flock to the reopened cinemas without fear about their safety and security from the coronavirus.
Insiders say that Netflix has paid Zee and Dharma Rs. 50 crore for the premiere rights. The producers had recovered around Rs. 9-10 crore from sale of audio and satellite rights (satellite rights are with Zee, a sister concern of Zee Studios). With a total investment of approximately Rs. 40 crore, the recovery of Rs. 59-60 crore (Rs. 50 crore plus Rs. 9-10 crore) would mean that Zee Studios and Karan Johar would make a profit of Rs. 19-20 crore in the Janhvi Kapoor and Pankaj Tripathi starrer directed by debut-making Sharan Sharma.
It is believed that a bunch of three to four films produced by T-Series has also been finalised for premiering on an OTT platform. Details are awaited. Know-alls say that the deal for T-Series’ Saina Nehwal is not yet finalised.