When a major blockbuster drops on OTT platforms, social media is usually flooded with excitement. But in the case of Manade Shankara Vara Prasad, which has had its digital debut just a month in, the buzz on social media is strangely non-existent. The mega fans who were constantly tweeting, posting on their walls, and sharing box office updates during the movie's theatrical run seem to have gone quiet now.
A Mid-Week Premiere - A Coincidence or a Culprit?
One theory is that the lack of response is because the film came out on a Wednesday, the peak working day. And since a huge chunk of the audience had already watched it in theaters during the festival season, the urgency to catch it on a smart screen right away probably didn't exist.
This isn't some random first-time issue with release dates. The film's main theatrical release last month actually took place on a Monday, which meant that despite all the "Hit" hype and housefull boards, it narrowly missed making 100 crores on day one by just 16 crores.
Strategic Flaws?
If the film had come out on a Friday or Saturday, the box office numbers would probably have been quite different. It looks like the team got the strategy all wrong for both the theatrical and OTT releases. Meanwhile, Zee5, which has the rights to the digital release, is going out of its way to promote the film - they even partnered with fans for celebrations at Sriramulu Theater in Moosapet, Hyderabad - cleverly using the event to get some publicity for the film.
Film producers and directors simply can't afford to ignore how a movie does on OTT. These days, the digital performance of a film plays a huge role in deciding what kind of market rate a hero can command for their next projects
Fan Disappointment - a Recipe For Disaster?
There is an unmistakable air of discontent among fans regarding the decision to take the film out of theaters and straight onto OTT. Many are feeling that waiting another ten days would have given the film one final chance to rake it in at the box office. For now, we'll just have to wait for the official viewership numbers to see just how well the film did on OTT.