Tag: OTT Platforms

“SHOULD OTT BE REGULATED ?”

Regulation of OTTS is a matter of great concern for government.

OTT platforms have grown rapidly in India, especially during the coronavirus-induced lockdown period, when the closure of film theatres led several production houses to release their films directly on OTT platforms. And this allows them to conveniently bypass even the basic scrutiny of a film regulatory authority. Many also believe that OTT platforms often perpetuate sexual crimes and soft porn, amplify bloodshed and gore which can potentially inflame passions, especially in young minds. Unregulated content can be damaging especially for a country like ours where communal tensions are not uncommon. Content on OTTs are age restricted , since their is no censor board for such & everyone can watch it , the content is influencing young minds in wrong way , which is why they need to be regulated.

Regulated OTT content could also imply missed opportunities for filmmakers and actors who are lured to the medium for the creative freedom it offers. This is the only drawback of regulation of OTTs . Filmmakers comes to this platform because this platform offers freedom of creativity , they can make whatever they want to , yes it is true that they make what is real , but this reality often brings problems among young minds because these minds are not able to take the message behind the content but grasp the things which are not meant for them .

In my view, self-regulation is highly preferred to strict censorship as the latter will curtail the creative freedom of OTT video platforms. If OTT platforms self-regulate and take adequate measures to ensure prohibited content is not watched by children and carry content descriptors, among other safeguards, they would emerge as the best platforms for content watchers

Broadcasters Association (NBA) regulates news channels, and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) regulates film content. There is no such regulatory authority operating to scrutinize digital media content. So unregulated content that is now widely accessible owing to cheap data connections and the proliferation of smartphones has become a cause of concern. So there must be a regulatory body for OTTs , so that without violating the rules & guidelines & without showing content which is not good , they can give content which is meant for all & loved by all

Has OTT platforms changed the dynamics of the Indian cinema

What is an OTT platform

OTT stands for over the top media , which offers media services to the viewers directly through the internet by passing the cables, broadcast, sattellite television platforms and the distributors or controllers of the entertainment content.

Cinema is basically the art or technique of making motion pictures of bringing the stories made by the creative minds to life with the help of the camera. it is immensely popular in India with over 1800 films releasing in many Indian languages per year with Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Kochi, Bhubaneshwar-Cuttack and Guwahati being the main centers of the film production. Cinema in India not only serves a purpose of being a platform for showcasing art and providing entertainment to the masses but also it is an emotion. Whenever there has to be a celebration in the Indian households people do it by going to the theatres enjoying their time out relishing the feel of the reel stories with their favorite beverages in their hands. When we are happy or sad we watch movies, the choice of the films we watch represents our mood.

Indian Cinema over the years

Over the years, the cinema has transformed from giving classic deliveries over the daily situations of the lives, to the typical action packed romance films where a poor boy goes against all the odds to marry her rich girl or vice versa to the films depicting the importance of family to the films depicting social issues which are lesser known and require our immediate attention to the real life inspirations. Over the past half century and more there has been a rapid change in the dynamics of what film industry used to be and people’s perception about it.

We see ourselves in the character and derive joy from it and maybe learn things also from them . The vilian on the screen automatically was our definition of a bad guy. The iconic DDLJ’s “Tujhko dekha hai toh jana sanam “ song which was shot in the mustard feel continues to rein people’s heart over almost every generation even today 25 years after its release. This is what is about the movies, it takes us for a moment away from this hectic world.

The contribution of OTT platforms

With the covid-19 pandemic engulfing the world in its dreadness, everyone is locked in their homes with the theatres which since many decades have played home to hosting the movies on the big screen being closed. Though nothing comes close to the feeling of watching a story which sometimes consists of your dreams, unfold on the big screen, OTT platforms are what which came to our rescue in these times.

While the OTT platforms like Amazon Prime video, Netflix, zee5 are there since years now , but its the pandemic which had made people watch these. With the introduction of OTT came web series, a mid version of serials and movies. While a movie has to wrap up in 3 hours maximum and a tv serial goes on till infinity , web series are slightly longer than the 3 hour duration and are finite with the content i.e. there is no pressure to extend the content till infinity for the sake of TRPs. The content which includes these web series are the one which is too long to be caged within the 3 hours of the movie. And this has led to some serious changes in what Indian cinema is now.

Gone is the time of showcasing a damsel in distress who needs her Knight in shinning armor to save her, it is the time of equality and this is what the majority of content on OTT serves today. Not just the web series but the films which are releasing on these OTT platforms now showcase the need for change in today’s time. With people idolising the cinema and its actors, it is very helpful if those actors help drive an important message home.

Also, it has given an opportunity for the actors to showcase their skills and the ones who were once underrated are a household name now. Moreover, the OTT platforms are available at the lower rates with a subscription for an entire year in many Indian languages, it is just like the theatres shifting to the comfort of your homes with more valuable content . This helps people in watching end number of series and films over that platform in the amount of money that they would have spent on just one movie in the theatres. The reason for this cost reduction be the removal of distributors and many others who played an important role in the release of a film.