ITV

Tag: Satyamev Jayate 2

  • OTTs to benefit from the availability of price-discovery platform as cinemas reopen

    OTTs to benefit from the availability of price-discovery platform as cinemas reopen

    Mumbai: As many as 15 Bollywood movie release dates were announced within 24 hours of the news of cinema theatres reopening in Maharashtra on 22 October. These include the much-awaited titles such as ‘Sooryavanshi’, ‘Bunty aur Babli 2’, ‘Satyamev Jayate 2’, ‘83’, ‘Jersey’, ‘Tadap’, ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’, ‘Pushpa’, ‘No Means No’, and ‘Bhavai’ in 2021 and more for the next year.

    The enthusiasm is palpable with many welcoming the decision as a ‘victory’ of sorts for Cinemas over OTT. Yet, just a week back, multiplex chains that refused to screen the Hindi version of ‘Thalaivii’ were staring at a similar struggle over the gap between theatrical and digital screening for new releases. Having been released on 10 September, the Hindi version of the Kangana Ranaut-starrer is now streaming on Netflix, challenging conventional windowing norms.

     

     

     

     

    Cinema experience is unparalleled and in a film-crazy nation like India, it is expected that movie viewing will eventually return to the old normal. However, some things will definitely change, perhaps for the better. The direct-to-digital wave which saw digital rights revenues double during 2020 to Rs 35 billion (EY-FICCI March 2021 report on Media and Entertainment Sector), and continuing, was after all, not all ineffectual.

    The Box-office Barometer

    A study by Ormax Media published in July revealed that the 26 films which were originally conceived for a theatrical release but were released on streaming platforms due to the pandemic, fetched the producer a net gain of Rs. 350 cr, which more than offset the Rs 120 cr loss at the box office. However, it added that the “numbers look what they are, because of the absence of big Rs 150-200+ cr grossers (‘Sooryavanshi’ and ‘83’) at the top and the price premium streaming platforms paid in 2020 which can be seen as a marketing cost to acquire new subscribers.”

    Based on the industry estimates, the total monetisation from streaming rights across the 26 films stood at a “staggering Rs 720cr” as against Rs 250 cr if the 26 films had been released theatrically, at pre-covid streaming acquisition prices, it said. According to the EY-FICCI March 2021 report on Media and Entertainment Sector, digital rights grew as much as 86 per cent in 2020 compensating producers (wholly or in part) for lost theatrical revenue. This approach is, however, not sustainable.

    Mukta Arts MD Rahul Puri points out that it’s natural for a Rs 20-25 cr medium budget film to do good business on OTT platforms that are paying upwards of Rs 30-35cr for it. “Not only is the production cost being recovered, but when you go directly to OTT there’s no distribution and marketing cost to be incurred. It’s a sizeable profit, therefore. But the issue is going to be with the kind of legacy that the film earns. The brand value of a film that hasn’t been released in the theatres obviously goes down, and when it comes to a subsequent rights sale, its IPR value will diminish much faster; more so if the movie didn’t do well releasing directly on digital.”

    Stressing on the importance of theatrical releases for movies, Mumbai Movie Studios CEO Naveen Chandra notes, “A film’s box office performance typically serves as a price discovery platform, in the absence of which everyone is grappling with various formulas. A lot of good and bad decisions have been taken in this process of experimentation.”

    While in order to grow their subscription on the back of increased digital consumption OTT platforms may have agreed to acquire films for a premium, Chandra believes “there needs to be rationalisation in prices going ahead. By now the OTT platforms must also be having an idea of what their viewers are seeking, and should therefore tailor the content in terms of language, formats, and genres,” he adds.

    As regards ‘Thalaivii’ both Puri and Chandra are of the opinion that the situation would have played out differently had the big markets which contribute 35-40 per cent to the box office been open. “It was mainly the large multiplex chains that boycotted ‘Thalaivii’; the single screens are unfortunately in no position financially to hold out, and so they allowed the film to go ahead. Realistically speaking, Tamil Nadu is a strong single-screen state. So, with Maharashtra being shut the producers didn’t have much to lose,” states Puri.

    Direct-to-digital, shorter release windows stay

    The digital medium has not only provided another platform for the audience to watch movies, but also to filmmakers and producers to tell more stories with diverse formats, characters, and narratives. The nuances of the medium are sure to provide it some sort of exclusivity in story-telling.

    Shemaroo Entertainment, COO, Kranti Gada says, “OTT audiences have now got a taste of watching new movies at home, and this new reality is expected to continue providing a feasible release option for smaller, lower-budget films. Movies that can be enjoyed on smaller screens are more feasible for OTT platforms in the long run and therefore, they are expected to commission more original movie content going forward. Earlier, we used to see smaller movies that were unable to get a theatrical release go direct to video or television. This has now been replaced by direct-to-OTT.”

    Sharing Shemaroo’s experience through the pandemic years, Gada states that the outlook of big production houses and producers about the digital medium has changed, and they are now more open to reaching a wider audience through digital platforms. “The balance between commercial feasibility and reach will decide the way forward. One thing is certain; the eight-week exclusive theatrical window will not be something that producers will be held to and the norm will be broken. From eight weeks to four weeks or even shorter, the OTT release window is bound to change,” she asserts.

    Eros STX, chief executive officer, Pradeep Dwivedi also believes that windowing opportunities for theatricals will significantly reduce even after the situation eases. “In pre- pandemic days, a movie would take anywhere between two-to-six months to premiere on television after its theatrical release. Now I see this reducing to two weeks even after the pandemic is over. Post which, the movie will premiere on OTT followed by broadcast or, in some cases, the other way around.”

    In an industry-first move, Eros International had opted for the same-day digital and satellite release for the Rana Daggubati and Pulkit Samrat starrer ‘Hathi Mere Saathi/ Kaadan/ Aranya’ on 18 September. The film’s release on ZEE Cinema was immediately followed by streaming on Eros Now, the OTT platform owned by Eros STX Global Corporation.

    “With limited windowing opportunities for theatres, launching on OTTs is a natural choice for large studios like Eros Motion Pictures.  Since we also own Eros Now, we prefer the straight-to-OTT route till the pandemic situation improves and markets open up. In fact, going straight to OTTs allows large studios like Eros to produce more content with a wider diversity of talent from across India in addition to working with top stars,” observes Dwivedi.

    Even though Mukta Arts’ Puri is convinced of a return to the (old) normal when the pandemic is over, he does agree that OTTs will continue to invest in the films they think will work on their platforms. “While small/medium budget movies will still look for theatrical releases, there are a number of producers who will go primarily to OTT without even having a conversation about cinema. Big, commercial movies that are going to make 250-300 cr at the box office have no reason to do so. OTTs will pay a substantial amount for these films because of their brand value.”

    Chandra hopes that among and between the 30-second ad films, 100 hrs TV shows, 15-20 hrs web series, and two-hour films, the experimentative and edgy medium of OTT will find its place even as movie lovers return to the theatres.

  • Watch the last of SMJ 2 this September

    Watch the last of SMJ 2 this September

    MUMBAI: The most talked about social show Satyamev Jayate (SMJ) would never had happened, had James Murdoch not given a go ahead for the same.

    “When I told my CFO that I was planning to do a show such as SMJ, he looked at me as though I was going totally out of line,” Star India CEO Uday Shankar had said during the recently held Paley Media Council in New York. Shankar then called up Murdoch and told him about the risk associated with SMJ because of the investment. “He told me ‘we would live.’ I needed his blessings to go ahead with it,” Shankar had expressed then.

    A show which didn’t pass the litmus test in the first go is one of the most successful shows for the channel today. SMJ has truly taken the nation by a storm even as it brings home harsh realities. “India was ready, our viewers were ready and internally Star as a company was ready to take the leap and that’s how came SMJ where we decided that sharply we will, in each episode, focus on some of the things that must change in the country while all other kinds of economic and social changes keep happening,” Shankar had said.

    The series first went on air in 2012, with episodes being aired at a stretch for 13 weeks. But, when it returned with its second season this March, it decided to be a little different.

    This time around, the series was presented in installments. With the first bunch of five episodes aired in March, the show is all set to go on-floor again in the month of July, with telecast plans for September.

    “We will air six episodes to end the second season,” says director of the show Satyajit Bhatkal when quizzed if the season will see another installment. The second season was supposed to have three installments as said earlier.   

    As per Indiantelevision.com’s earlier report, season one of the series garnered an overall rating of 4.27 TVRs (including DD) across the six metropolitan cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, upon its premiere telecast on 6 May 2012. According to TAM TV Ratings, the show reached out to 89.6 lakh people in the age group of 4+.

    The popularity of the show grew and it was evident from the opening episode of SMJ 2 which premiered on 2 March with historic numbers. As per TAM data for week 10, Satyamev Jayate’s launch episode was watched by a massive 2.6 crore Indians. This when extrapolated to All India Universe, as per standard industry conversions, means that the launch episode was watched by 7.9 crore Indians.

    Moreover, the show recorded 7,429 TVTs in All India (All 4+, All India) and a HSM TVT of 6,770 (All 4+, HSM). These were simulcast ratings of the original episode aired on Sunday morning 11 am across seven channels (Star Plus, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Utsav, Star Vijay, Asianet and Doordarshan) along with the 1 pm original airing on ETV Telugu.

    The overwhelming response by the audience was backed by the advertisers as well.  According to sources, while each episode of SMJ costs close to Rs 5 crore, the channel charges approximately Rs 10 lakh for a 10-second advertising slot.

    Hosted by actor Aamir Khan, the response to Satyamev Jayate has changed popular perceptions of what people want to watch. That apart, it has also helped generate enormous discussion points in the public sphere on issues many Indians were so long cutoff from. The show also instills in people the feeling of being agents of social change.

    With the show going on floor next month, Bhatkal believes that the four-month break has given them time to research on topics which will be based on what a citizen can do to change his life and the world around.

    Star Plus is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that viewers are engaged by the conversations triggered around the message given by SMJ. Keeping that in mind, Facebook and Twitter is abuzz with activity every hour.

    A total of 8.7 million “Votes for Change” were received from viewers in support of the issues raised during the show.

    Bhatkal is happy with the feedback. “When we aired the first installment of the second season, we were worried if we would get the desired numbers, as elections, exams etc kept people busy.  But, despite that, people have loved the show. Also, our ‘Vote for Change’ campaign also garnered huge amount of support from people.”

    The SMJ team believes that everything is going in the right direction. “Government is also showing a lot of interest in the issues we raise and has promised to work on them,” concludes Bhatkal.

  • Satyamev Jayate campaign pays off

    Satyamev Jayate campaign pays off

    MUMBAI: When it aired on Star Plus two years ago, it took the nation by storm even as it brought home uncomfortable realities for not one but 13 weeks. At the time, Satyamev Jayate was the most talked about television show; its title the most searched phrase on Google. The channel claimed that the Aamir Khan-hosted show, simulcast in seven languages, reached a staggering 600 million viewers in its first season.

     

    Two years later, the show is back by popular demand, with even more hard-hitting content – pertinent social issues that a majority of Indians are cut off from. And while it’s too early to predict how season two will fare, judging by viewer response to the first couple of episodes, one can safely say that Star Plus’ 360-degree promotional campaign is working well for the show, and the channel.

     

    The Campaign

     

    Launched on 26 January this year, the marketing campaign for season two of Satyamev Jayate was conceptualised around the thought, “Jinhe Desh Ki Fikr Hai” (Those who care for their country).

     

    Spread across platforms including TV, print, digital, radio and outdoor, a series of on-ground activations with ambient touch-points called ‘Fikr touch points’ were held across the country. To drive greater affinity in the south, actors Mohanlal and Suriya were roped in as cultural ambassadors. A special people’s version of the Satyamev Jayate anthem was created on Radio Mirchi that had ordinary people singing the original anthem and making it their own. What’s more, the show promo garnered 4.4 million views on YouTube before its launch, which is a massive number.

     

    On social media, on the day of the launch of season two, #SatyamevJayate trended as the number one topic across both Twitter and Facebook and together, resulted in 54.2 million impressions. On Yahoo, the show owned it for a day across each Yahoo webpage, resulting in more than 108 million impressions per day and more than four lakh clicks.

     

    To top it all, out-bound calls in Khan’s voice went out to people across the country, resulting in a total 23 million impressions in a day.

     

    The Launch

     

    The opening episode, focused on rape, received an overwhelming response from viewers. The show urged Indians to ‘Vote for change’ and one of Star Plus’ leading protagonists took the cause forward by urging viewers to give a missed call on a toll-free number to help create One stop rape crisis centres across the country. Over 57 lakh missed calls were registered, of which 40 lakh calls were made within the first 72 hours of telecast of the show.

     

    Among the seven hash tags created around the first episode, #FightingRape became the top trending hash tag in India on the day of the launch.

     

    Four weeks before the launch, Satyamev Jayate‘s facebook page had nearly 10,000 PTAT (people talking about this). Today, the number is 7.5 lakh and counting.

     

    At the end of season one of the show, the fan base was 1.4 million fans on facebook, which has now more than doubled to 3.4 million.

     

    The Strategy

     

    Satyamev Jayate is very important for the network at every level; be it content, marketing or any other.

     

    “It’s a unique show like no other. It’s a show that leverages the power of a celebrity and the Star platform to create social impact. The reason it works is because it resonates with the citizen and the viewer who cares for the country and is concerned about these issues. Because these are issues that impact every family,” says Star India EVP marketing and communications Gayatri Yadav.

     

    The theme of the entire first season was “Dil pe lagegi, tab hi baat banegi”. True to its theme, the show talked about issues that touched everybody’s heart. The second season takes it a notch higher.

     

    “The second season takes the whole promise forward. Because it taps into a sense of commitment and concerns that the average citizen has for the country,” she says.

     

    As for the theme of season two, the germ of the idea came from Star India CEO Uday Shankar. “We were thinking about what should be the theme of season two. From the season one, some complained that the show was too heavy and too difficult to watch on a Sunday morning. And we felt that is the nature of the show. The show is intense, it is going to be dealing with issues that are important to address,” she says.

     

    While it may not be the kind of stuff you’d want to see on a Sunday morning, people still do watch it because of the deep love they have for the country. Tapping into the love and concern every citizen has for the country is the promise of season two. “We don’t really see as the episode is over, the cause is over,” says Yadav. “This year, you will see a lot more engagement with the causes, even after the episode airs. As there are only five episodes this month, there will be a real focus on driving a very strong season finale which is the fifth day.”