Turbo OTT release delayed: Mammootty continues to champion theatre over streaming

Malayalam superstar Mammootty's latest movie Turbo is one of the most awaited releases in the OTT space. However, streaming audiences will have to wait longer than the typical four to six-week window.

SonyLIV, which has secured the streaming rights to the Mammootty starrer, confirmed that Turbo will only have its digital premiere in August. In the post-pandemic market, streaming platforms have solidified their position in the country and have now emerged as a strong force in Indian cinema. So much so that the streamers now get to have a say in deciding the theatrical release date for movies.

Incidentally, streaming platforms played a huge role in popularizing Malayalam cinema across the country. These platforms allowed movie buffs in every nook and corner of the country to easily access new Malayalam cinema, helping the industry expand its audience base.

ALSO READ: Turbo Movie Review: Even Mammootty can't save this colossal mess 

It's also noteworthy that many producers have offset the poor box office performances of Malayalam cinema in the last few years by securing lucrative pre-release streaming deals. However, as a precondition, almost all Malayalam movies made their streaming debuts within four weeks of their theatrical release.

This practice has caused great concern among other stakeholders in the industry. Especially, the associations of distributors and exhibitors argued that this trend can alter the attitude of audiences and encourage them to wait a few weeks to watch new movies from the comfort of their homes, instead of making an effort to visit the nearest cinemas.

Earlier this year, FEUOK, the primary Kerala theatre owners association, issued a ban against movies with a short theatrical window.

However, Mammootty has long defied the trend and temptation of early OTT release. Particularly, he opts to give the movies he produces under his home banner, Mammootty Kampany, a longer exhibition in theatres before making them available for streaming.

This practice is evident in Mammootty's last few movies, including Kaathal – The Core and Kannur Squad. These movies stayed away from streaming platforms for as long as possible, irrespective of their box office performance. For example, Kaathal – The Core fell off in demand among movie-going audiences a few weeks after its release. Still, it made its digital premiere on Amazon Prime Video only after six weeks. Kannur Squad played in theatres for over seven weeks before arriving on streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

In contrast, Mammootty's psychological horror drama Bramayugam premiered on SonyLIV exactly 30 days after its theatrical debut earlier this year. Mammootty only played the lead role in Bramayugam, but didn't produce it. That explains the short theatrical window for the movie, which emerged as one of the biggest hits in Malayalam this year within the four weeks of its theatrical run.

As expected, Turbo is also following suit and opting for an extended theatrical run. The movie was released in cinemas to mixed reviews on May 23, and six weeks later, it's yet to become available for streaming. Turbo will make its digital debut about 10 weeks later.

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