Disney+ Hotstar is trying hard to expand its viewer base in the Telugu OTT space. The OTT platform recently started streaming their direct to OTT Telugu releases Maestro and Adbhutha. But neither of these films actually helped Hotstar to penetrate into the Telugu OTT space due to the lack of ‘star’ power.
But Disney+ Hotstar seems to have got it right with Akhanda now. The OTT giant had acquired the post theatrical digital streaming rights of Balakrishna’s Akhanda, which is their first big-ticket acquisition in Telugu cinema in the recent past.
All that Disney+ Hotstar lacked in their promotional campaign till now is a big-star film that could pull the Telugu OTT audience. With Balayya and Boyapati‘s Akhanda, they have got just that.
Needless to say, the OTT space is never kind to massy commercial films. We often see commercial potboilers not faring particularly well on OTT.
But in the case of Akhanda, it is more about style than substance. The film is a proper ‘B’ ‘C’ center entertainer and was never intended to suit the sensibilities of the OTT audience. But what it does possess is good buzz and anticipation. Disney+ Hotstar can most certainly make good use of a crowd-pulling film like Akhanda now.
