Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has expressed his concern over the streaming of Shahid Kapoor's highly anticipated film, "Bloody Daddy," on the OTT platform Jio Cinema.
The action thriller, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced with a budget of Rs 200 crores, premiered on June 9. Agnihotri took to Twitter on Friday to question the decision to allow the film to be streamed for free, despite its significant production costs.
HERE'S WHAT HE SAID
In his tweet, Agnihotri shared a newspaper clipping announcing the OTT release of "Bloody Daddy" and raised questions about the business model behind offering a film with a budget of 200 crores for free. He expressed his sadness over what he sees as Bollywood celebrating its own destruction.
Responding to Agnihotri's tweet, a user attempted to explain Jio's business strategy, stating that they initially offer content for free to attract a larger customer base and later introduce minimal fees to retain customers.
The user predicted that other OTT platforms might follow suit, charging less to customers and relying on advertising revenue.
Agnihotri replied to the user, considering the possibility that the 200 crore budget could be seen as an advertising cost for Jio.
Critics of the move also chimed in, suggesting that offering the film for free was merely a way for companies to make money and save on taxes. Another user remarked that when something is free, the consumer often becomes the product.
Ali Abbas Zafar, the director of "Bloody Daddy," had previously explained why he believed the OTT platform was the best fit for the film.
In an interview, Zafar mentioned that the movie delves into dark elements of the underworld such as drugs, violence, and blood, and he did not want to make any compromises to make it suitable for a theatrical release. As a result, the decision was made to have a direct-to-digital release.
ABOUT BLOODY DADDY
"Bloody Daddy" is a remake of the 2011 French film "Sleepless Night." The story revolves around a determined man who takes on both corrupt cops and crime lords for a noble cause.
Alongside Shahid Kapoor, the film features a talented ensemble cast including Ronit Roy, Diana Penty, Sanjay Kapoor, and Rajeev Khandelwal in key roles.
For Shahid Kapoor, "Bloody Daddy" marks his second venture into the world of OTT releases, following the critically acclaimed Amazon Prime film "Farzi."
