(This article is authored by Alar)

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the entertainment industry, with movie theatres being shut down in many countries, leading to a surge in demand for OTT platforms. OTT giants have witnessed a sharp rise in their viewership, with people consuming more content than ever before. This has created a new trend of direct-to-OTT releases, with many small-budget and independent films also being released on these platforms.

As the pandemic situation slowly improves, the movie theatres are reopening, but the demand for OTT platforms is still high. In the latest development, the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association has decided that movies should be made available on OTT services six weeks after they debut in theatres. In addition, they also demanded that the producers shouldn't say anything about when the movie will premiere or which online streaming service bought the rights to it.

The sudden rise of OTT shift had a significant impact on the traditional movie theater industry, with many theaters struggling to stay afloat due to the lack of new releases and audience footfall.  However this decision was made at the most recent association meeting but has not yet been put into action. Although, the theatre owners association has justified their decision, stating that this move will encourage more people to go to theatres and support the industry.

It's worth noting that this decision comes after the success of several Tamil films that were released in theatres and on OTT platforms simultaneously. Recently, few TN theatres banned premiering the latest release Michael, after the film's OTT made its debut within four weeks of release. The Tamil Film Producers Council has not yet decided whether or not they will follow the new regulation put forth by the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners association. Whether or not this will affect future movie releases in Tamil Nadu, the announcement of its implementation is impending.