Karnataka government OTT platform likely to see New Year launch

BENGALURU: If things go as planned, the state governments Over-The-Top (OTT) platform to promote Kannada movies is likely to see a New Year launch. It may have a subscription fee of around Rs 100 per month. A 10-member committee set up by the state government is studying Kerala governments OTT C-space and Prasar Bhartis Waves. Sree Kanteerava Studios chairman Mahaboob Pasha, a member of the committee, who had proposed the idea to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, said, We will have a meeting with the commissioner, Information and PR Dept, by this month-end where a feasibility report will be submitted. The CM and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh are in favour of the proposal. Private OTT platforms do not encourage Kannada movies. Around 4,000 movies have not been released for want of theatres. The private OTT platforms are not willing to take them, Pasha said, adding that the proposed government OTT platform will not only help release Kannada movies, but also screen documentaries and works on art and culture. Unlike Keralas platform, which offers movies on a ticket model (pay-per-view model), where users are charged once and they have to watch the movie within a few days, we propose the subscription model as well as ticket model (for new releases), Pasha said. There will be a content examining committee to watch the movie to be released. Once it is convinced, a mutual agreement on revenue sharing will be signed with the producer before releasing the movie, he said. A committee member said that around Rs 8 crore is needed to develop an OTT app and for cloud management for five years. We will request the government to release Rs 50 crore as seed money to sustain the platform. We cannot expect revenue soon after its launch. With subscriptions and revenue expected to improve after two years, we hope to achieve break-even and become self-sustainable by the end of the fifth year. An investment of Rs 50 crore by the state government now can fetch it crores every year in the future, the member said. Along with Kannada, the proposed OTT platform will promote movies in other languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi. The committee is expecting 25 lakh subscribers.