YRF goes OTT

Jayeshbhai Jordaar and Tiger 3 are YRF’s upcoming theatrical releases

All through the 2020-21 pandemic, Aditya Chopra was one of the few Indian producers to support cinemas, by not pursuing digital release of his films. Which is not to suggest the boss of Bollywood's top studio, Yash Raj Films (YRF), didn't repose faith in OTT platforms as an entertainment medium. mid-day has learnt that Chopra is set to launch the studio's OTT vertical, YRF Entertainment. While he has already begun planning and screening content that will be rolled out by the digital arm, sources say Chopra is also contemplating the possibility of launching his own platform that could rival streaming giants, Netflix India, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and the like.

What's the likely allocation of funds into this new economy of films? At the moment, a cool Rs 500 crore, sources say, aimed as a prestige addition to the premier studio that has been at the forefront of Bollywood over the past 50 years.

Bunty Aur Babli 2 and Pathan are part of its theatrical slate

While spokespersons at YRF neither officially denied nor confirmed the development, a trade source reveals, "Aditya Chopra is in two minds about whether the content produced should be released on an existing OTT app. He hasn't ruled out the possibility of floating his own platform."

Also Read: Prime Video bags global streaming rights of four YRF films

Currently, the library of YRF is leased out to Amazon Prime Video. Should Chopra launch his own platform, there is the obvious possibility the films will be added to the in-house roster.

Aditya Chopra

The next few months are therefore crucial for YRF, as it rolls out back-to-back big-ticket releases - including Bunty Aur Babli 2, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Pathan, Prithviraj and Tiger 3 - while building the digital arm from the ground up.

The source adds, "Aditya has invested close to Rs 1200 crore in the theatrical slate of 2021-22. Now, he has earmarked Rs 500 crore to venture into the OTT market. His central idea is to develop stories rooted in India and its ethos, and showcase them to the world."

The filmmaker, over the years, has recognised and honed raw talent - from filmmakers Maneesh Sharma and Ali Abbas Zafar, to actors Ranveer Singh and Parineeti Chopra. Will the projects be helmed by the in-house storytellers alone? "As far as directors and actors are concerned, the projects will have a mix of both - YRF talent pool and from outside. Several projects have been lined up, and YRF is expected to announce them soon."

This isn't the first time that the studio, founded by the late Yash Chopra in 1970, is venturing beyond movies. In 2009, when television dominated Indian home entertainment, and the OTT revolution was years away, it had produced five exclusive fiction and non-fiction shows for Sony Entertainment Television. It included director Nupur Asthana's Mahi Way and the Pankaj Tripathi-led Powder.

Also Read: Woman sues YRF for excluding ‘Jabra Fan' song from SRK's film, SC responds