All major sectors suffered a huge setback due to the COVID-induced lockdown, and the entertainment industry is no exception. In fact, the situation turned worse for the small film sector, which churns out large volumes, albeit on wafer-thin budgets.
“Love 18”, one such film produced by Tirupati-based Navatharam Cine Productions, is ready for release but could not prove its mettle at the Box Office due to the lockdown. The film was produced and directed by Ravi Kiran, who was associated with many Kannada films, apart from working as an assistant director under ‘Bahubali’ fame S.S. Rajamouli.
The message-oriented film is about a batch of students known to bunk classes, that eventually comes up with flying colours.
“The movie shows how the youth can make it to the top in an interesting manner. We hope the theatres open at the earliest so that our film can be screened,” says Madhusudhan of Saikala Foundation, who acted as the college chairman in the film.
Veteran actor Kota Sankara Rao plays a pivotal role. Most scenes in the film were shot in Tirupati and Chandragiri areas, while a couple of songs were picturised in Goa and Araku.
TV, theatre
The situation of television serials is no better, as they are also stuck at various stages of production, forcing the channels to air old episodes again.
On the other hand, theatres are unlikely to open in the foreseeable future, in view of the social distancing norms and the continued ban against crowding. The exhibitors are mulling various options and are contemplating discussing the issue among themselves before taking it to the notice of the government, but are currently inclined to adopt a wait-and-watch policy till the lockdown ends.
Alternative platforms
With Over The Top (OTT) platforms providing a real-time alternative to theatres, it is more likely to fill the vacuum, at least for now. “If the theatres do not open as expected, we will approach OTT players like Netflix or Amazon to release our film,” Mr. Madhusudhan added.
