Karan Johar recently explained why he skipped the theatres for Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar-starrer Govinda Naam Mera’s release, and opted for an OTT platform instead. The trailer of the highly-awaited movie was launched at an entertainment event in Mumbai yesterday, and has been garnering rave reviews from fans all over.
The Shashank Khaitan directorial promises to be a fun ride peppered with whistle and clap worthy ‘masala’ moments perfect for the big screens, which is partly why the decision to release it directly on Disney+ Hotstar raised eyebrows.
But the Dharma Productions giant had a reasonable justification to back his decision. “Jitne gharon tak unka reach hai, utne cinema halls nahin hai hamare desh mein [We don’t have enough cinema houses in our country to compete with an OTT platform like Disney+ Hotstar’s reach],” Johar said.
“We ourselves have created this divide that commercial films are for theatres and the slightly off-the-cuff films are meant for digital. We realised that Disney+ Hotstar is a wild platform...So I believe ki yeh mainstream masala entertainer ko bahut khoobsurat ghar mila hai [I believe mainstream masala entertainers have found a beautiful home]. So, there were no second thoughts. I guarantee you that the whistles and claps would reach us,” the filmmaker added.
Gaurav Banerjee, Head-Content, Disney+ Hotstar and HSM Entertainment also shared his thoughts on the matter and said, “There’s a very strong perception in our country that streaming is niche and that it is intended to work for a small part of our audience, that is, the ones in the big cities and a lot of disposable income. We are here to change that and do everything that we can do from a content perspective as well to make streaming mainstream.”
“The same way that cinema and television is mainstream, streaming can also be. A lot that we are doing with our content strategy is to make choices which a large part of the country can enjoy. We were the first ones to stream cricket matches. We have added to that by including some really popular films and shows that have a very wide audience as well. Our intention is to create content that all of India can enjoy,“ he concluded.
We, for one, really don’t mind curling up in our blankets in this chilly weather, and enjoying a classic Karan Johar extravaganza without having to step foot out of the house! What about you?
Govinda Naam Mera releases on Disney+ Hotstar on December 16, 2022.
