Here’s what led producer Vashu Bhagnani to opt for an OTT release for Coolie No. 1

Starring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan in principal roles, Coolie No. 1 is one of the most-awaited films of 2020. Helmed by veteran filmmaker David Dhawan and produced by Vashu Bhagnani, the comic-caper was originally slated to hit cinemas on 1^st May, 2020. However, the makers had to drop their plans of releasing the film in theatres due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

While many filmmakers opted for a direct-to-digital release for their ready projects, producer Vashu Bhagnani decided to wait for the reopening of theatres. But the way the number of Coronavirus cases is shooting up in India, no one knows exactly when will theatres resume operations across the country. Recently, the news came out that Coolie No. 1 is also heading to an OTT platform for its release.

A trade source informs an entertainment portal that Bhagnani was ready to wait for a couple of months more to ensure a theatrical release for Coolie No. 1, however, he was forced to opt for an OTT release instead. “Vashu Bhagnani was very keen that the remake of his production Coolie No. 1 release on the big screen. In fact, he was prepared to wait till theatres resumed business as normal and even organized a video conference with theatres/multiplex owners to display his interest in a theatrical release. This video conference was not only to inform theatre owners of his plan for a theatrical release but was also to settle release details, like show timings, number of shows, and other such exhibition parameters.”

Reportedly, theatre owners had no apprehension about Bhagnani’s plans and were even ready to provide him the sole right to plan the exhibition of his venture Coolie No. 1, but things did not fall into place when the producer requested a change in the parameters of OTT release. “Pre COVID-19 theatre owners would decide the number of shows and timing for any release, and filmmakers had little choice in this. Though filmmakers would request the exhibition to be done in a certain way, the final call was that of the theatre owners. Now for Bhagnani, the theatre owners were ready to relent on this, but it was Bhagnani’s next request that did not go down well with the theatre owners. Conventionally a film releases on OTT or satellite networks 60 days after its theatrical release. But given the current scenario, Bhagnani requested the theatre owners that this rule be dropped. Instead, Bhagnani requested that if footfalls in theatres did not pick up over a four-week period, he be granted the liberty to opt for an OTT release earlier.”

In addition to this, Bhagnani had one more demand which was shot down by theatre owners, which ultimately led the filmmaker to opt for an OTT release. “Bhagnani’s Coolie No. 1 was ready a while back. Now keeping an already complete film without a release is a heavy financial burden given the interest on investment, and Bhagnani wanted the theatre owners to compensate him for this financial investment. He was of the opinion that since he was concerned about the theatre owners, they should in-turn be looking out for his welfare. In fact, he even asked the theatre owners to acquire the distribution rights of Coolie No. 1 or to ensure that a part of the expense on the interest was born by them. The theatre owners rejected this and instead offered a different deal wherein consumers would get certain add-ons when purchasing tickets of Coolie No. 1, to sweeten their movie-going experience, but Bhagnani was not too happy about this.”

News has it that Coolie No. 1 will premiere on Diwali on Amazon Prime Video.