Dilemma for film makers as top stars eye digital pound of flesh

Film producers, already grappling with the repercussions of box office disruption and changing audience preferences due to the pandemic, now face an additional challenge.

- Lata Jha

NEW DELHI: Some top male stars, in a bid to compensate for reducing their upfront fees for film projects, are demanding a share of the revenue generated from digital sales to OTT platforms as back-end remuneration. On the flip side, several streaming platforms are willing to comply with these agreements, enticed by the audience pull of big stars that enhances the perceived viability of projects. In this scenario, producers, who bear the entire financial burden of funding the film, find themselves left with meagre compensation, while remaining heavily reliant on profits derived from theatrical releases, if any at all. This trend of diverting digital revenue to the stars as backend remuneration places producers in a vulnerable position, with their potential earnings significantly diminished.