Until a few months ago, there used to be an agreement between Tollywood producers and video rights buyers that the film DVDs should not be released at least within 100 days of the film’s release. However, certain buyers often broke the agreement and released the DVDs well in advance.
Almost a similar understanding was in vogue between the producers and the TV channels who buy the satellite rights of the films. But, with heavy competition among the satellite channels to grab the market leader position and score the highest TRPs, most TV channels have started airing the premieres of the films even within just 50 days of their releases.
The latest film that falls in this list is Ram’s Shivam. The film was released on 2nd October and was declared a huge disaster. However, a popular entertainment channel will telecast Shivam as a Diwali treat, within just 40 days of its theatrical release. There is a reason behind this premature telecast.
Audiences usually skip watching flop films like Shivam in the theaters thinking that the film will anyway be premiered soon on TV. On the other hand, TV channels buy the satellite rights of these films at astronomical rates and they all want to cash in on the little alive craze for these films after they flopped big time.
And if the films premiere is delayed by more than a couple of months, even family audiences forget about those films with new films being aired. Luke they say, strike the iron while it’s hot, the TV channels are following this principle to earn decent revenues before the viewers lose their interest.