‘Love & War’ to ‘Salaar’: Indian films with most expensive OTT deals
Indian cinema has been making waves globally, and the OTT platforms are willing to pay top dollar for the rights to stream these films. Recently, several Indian movies have struck massive deals with popular streaming services, breaking records and raking in the cash.
The latest addition to films that struck an expensive deal for its OTT rights is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming movie ‘Love & War,’ starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Alia Bhatt. As per reports, the makers have set a base price for its streaming rights for a whopping price of Rs. 130 crore with Netflix. The Mid-Day report further quoted insiders, saying that the figure may increase based on the film’s performance at the box office.
Meanwhile, we take a look at other Indian films that struck expensive deals with OTT platforms for the digital rights.
RRR
Directed by SS Rajamouli, ‘RRR’ is said to be the most expensive OTT deal for any Indian film. The movie’s gross collection (worldwide) stood at around Rs. 1200 crore. With Ram Charan and Jr. NTR in the leading roles, ‘RRR’ made quite a stir on the international circuit as well and also won an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for India. Originally made in Telugu, its OTT rights were reportedly sold for Rs. 350 crore.
KGF: Chapter 2
One of the biggest OTT deals for an Indian film is reportedly held with Prashanth Neel’s ‘KGF: Chapter 2’. Starring Yash in the leading role, the digital rights of the movie were bought by Amazon Prime Video for Rs. 320 crore, reportedly. The film was a huge success at the ticket window and collected Rs. 1200–1250 crore (worldwide, gross) across languages.
Pushpa 2
Even before its release, the digital rights for director Sukumar’s ‘Pushpa 2’ have already been sold to Netflix. The streaming platform has reportedly paid a price of Rs 275 crore for the deal. Starring Allu Arjun in the leading role, alongside Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna, ‘Pushpa 2’ is gearing up for its theatrical release on December 6.
Jawan
Shah Rukh Khan-led ‘Jawan’ became the biggest blockbuster of the year 2023, grossing Rs. 1148 crore worldwide. Also starring Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, Priya Mani, Sanya Malhotra, and others, the Atlee directorial broke all major records at the domestic box office. As per reports, its OTT rights were sold to Netflix for a staggering price of Rs. 250 crore. ‘Jawan’ was released in multiple languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire
Director Prashanth Neel’s ‘Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire’ is said to have bagged the costliest-ever OTT deal for a South Indian film. According to multiple reports, Netflix acquired the streaming rights of the film for a price of Rs. 162 crore. It starred Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran alongside Shruti Haasan, Sriya Reddy, Tinu Desai, and others.
Leo: Bloody Sweet
Starring Thalapathy Vijay in the titular role, ‘Leo: Bloody Sweet’ marked Vijay’s reunion with his 'master’ director Lokesh Kanagaraj. The Tamil actioner, also featuring Trisha Krishnan and Sanjay Dutt, was a blockbuster hit. As per reports, the film’s digital rights were sold for Rs. 120 crore, making it the most expensive OTT deal for a Tamil movie.
Pathaan
After a hiatus for four years, King Khan returned to the screens with Siddharth Anand’s ‘Pathaan.’ Also starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, it earned Rs. 1050.30 crore at the box office worldwide. The digital rights of the film were sold for Rs. 100 crore to Amazon Prime Video, reportedly.