Kamal Haasan Starrer Indian 2 Makers Slapped With Legal Notice For Flouting OTT Release Norms

Indian 2 which marked the reunion of Kamal Haasan and director Shankar didn't perform well at the box office. Just like Indian (1996), the movie was expected to create some wonder at the box office but fell flat. As per the pre-decided norms, makers were supposed to premiere the movie on OTT in Tamil and Telugu languages, four weeks after the release. However, within 6 weeks Hindi version was also premiered.

This didn't go down well with the Multiplex Association of India and they have sent a legal notice to the makers for flouting the OTT rules.

'If one producer gets away, it allows many more to follow the suit'

Pinkvilla reported that the Multiplex Association of India had laid a set of rules for the theatrical release of Hindi films. According to the norms, Indian 2's Hindi version was supposed to premiere on Netflix on September 6, which is 8 weeks after the release. However, it was premiered within 6 weeks. the association had made it clear in the norms that if the producers did not follow the rules then their next movie would not be screened in the top 3 national multiplex chains - PVRInox and Cinepolis.

"The multiplex association was shocked to discover that the Hindi version of Indian 2 is streaming now on Netflix, much before the stipulated 8-week window. In an ideal world, Hindustani 2 should have streamed on September 6, but it’s already on air and this has not gone down well with the power players in the exhibition sector,” the source said.

The source further told Pinkvilla that by sending a legal notice to the Indian 2 team, they want to send out a strong message to all the producers to follow the 8-week window. “If one producer gets away, it allows many more to follow the suit. The idea is to set an example that such acts won’t be taken lightly. The MAI is very clear on maintaining an 8-week OTT window for all films seeing a release in North India," Pinkvilla quoted the source saying.

DYK Priyani Bhavani Shankar was bullied and trolled by Indian 2 flop?

In a conversation with Galatta Plus, Priya Bhavani Shankar admitted that the harsh criticism and online bullying affected her significantly, but she remained resolute in defending her decision to participate in the film. She made it clear that predicting a film's success or failure is challenging and it is unfair to place all the responsibility on a single individual. Priyani Bhavani Shankar further mentioned that “no one would choose to work on a film if they knew it would not be well-received by the audience.” She defended the team by saying, “Every technician puts in a lot of effort with the hope that the film will succeed.”