India’s Indie Film Scene Is in Crisis

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In the past, streaming platforms were considered a beacon of opportunity. For independent filmmakers in India who had been overlooked by traditional theaters, services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar (a combination of Jio Cinema and Disney+Hotstar), ZEE5, and SonyLIV served as a vital resource. As Sumanth Bhat, director of the Kannada-language drama Mithya, explains, “It seemed like we could finally express our stories without continuously battling the same gatekeepers.” They felt they had found their niche.

Previously, it appeared that streamers had a strong desire for films and filmmakers who were willing to take risks. Platforms like Netflix acquired the poignant coming-of-age drama Axone, the eerie Meel Patthar, and Chaitanya Tamhane’s celebrated The Disciple. However, this enthusiasm seemed to wane, particularly following the pandemic.

Following decades of experience in IT and design, Bhat closed down two prosperous ventures at the beginning of 2020, as he felt the moment had arrived to delve into filmmaking. “For over fifteen years, I’d nurtured this dream, placing faith in streaming platforms – and amazingly, they were commissioning films during that period.” However, a pandemic occurred. “Once we managed to weather through it, we realized that the entire industry landscape had undergone transformation.

In the year 2023, Jayant Digambar Somalkar introduced “Sthal”, a humble Marathi film that was remarkably subtle and took place in a small village. This film made its debut at Toronto and received the NETPAC award for the best film. Meanwhile, Bhat’s “Mithya” was showcased at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and went on to be screened at several other events. Lastly, Harshad Nalawade’s “Follower” premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. All of these films were independent productions created in 2023. They each had their theatrical release in India during the year 2025.

Bhat explains that he created the movie “Mithya” specifically for the Over-The-Top (OTT) platform, and never contemplated a theatrical release. He acknowledges that films like this might not attract a traditional theater audience, but it’s necessary to secure an OTT release. The rule is that the film must have a theatrical run first, although this doesn’t guarantee they will purchase it. However, you still need to budget for marketing and distribution costs – these expenses can sometimes equal or even surpass your initial production budget.

The movie creators find themselves in a conundrum: In order to get into a system that initially turned them down, they must enter it, which is the same one that was originally designed as an alternative route to avoid such a system.

Filmmaker Rohan Kanawade’s heartfelt, unconventional drama titled “Sabar Bonda” made headlines earlier this year by becoming the first Marathi movie to debut at Sundance Film Festival. The film was subsequently awarded the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic during the event.

Despite their success, Kanawade expresses concern about the heavy personal sacrifices made during the production process: “Five years of our lives went into creating this film, and the main producer had to mortgage his home. I had hoped to savor the experience of making my first movie, but the pressure of potential setbacks weighs heavily on me. Will it not receive a theatrical release? Or will streaming platforms pass it by?

Even if a film manages to surmount the initial challenge – staying in theaters and securing a streaming platform’s attention – there’s still no guarantee of security. As Sthal director Somalkar points out, “there are scarcely any buyers for Marathi-language or other regional films.” Platforms like Zee, Sony, Amazon, Netflix, and even JioHotstar primarily operate on a revenue-sharing basis, which makes it difficult for these films to find a home.

Under a revenue-sharing arrangement, content creators (in this case, streamers) provide the platform for viewers to watch films, then pay the original filmmakers a proportionate fee – usually ranging between 5 to 9 cents for each view or hour watched – according to how much the audience consumes.

For an independent filmmaker in India, things couldn’t be more disheartening if the latest development isn’t the final nail in the coffin: A movie marketing insider confides in THR India that certain streaming services now demand filmmakers to pay for hosting their movies on these platforms.

According to Nalawade, this situation is downright absurd. He wonders aloud why there’s a charge for streaming when it seems like cloud storage is the culprit. Laughing incredulously, he remarks that it appears to be no more than a large external hard drive.

As an enthusiastic movie buff, I’ve been curious about how THR India is addressing the ongoing struggle of independent films in India. I reached out to several streaming giants like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, ZEE5, JioHotstar, and SonyLIV, seeking insight into any measures they might be taking or acknowledging this issue. However, all platforms chose not to share their thoughts on this matter.

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2025-05-16 15:54