In today’s market, even for films with big stars and massive combinations, OTT platforms are offering deals only in the ₹125–150 crore range. Unless a film is truly exceptional, this has become a major reason why producers see huge risks in spending ₹500–600 crore on a single-part movie. To reduce that risk, many are now turning their projects into multi-part films or franchises.
Even if a film grosses more than ₹800 crore in theaters, it does not guarantee breakeven when the budget crosses ₹600 crore. Producers often expect OTT deals of over ₹250 crore, but platforms are offering only half of that amount, and they are linking payments to theatrical performance as well.
Because of this, many films that were initially planned as single-part releases are being split into multiple parts. If the story is strong and has scope, franchises can work well and deliver big results. But there have also been failures where audiences felt the story could have been told in one film, and splitting it into parts was unnecessary.
This shift in OTT negotiations and deals is driving producers to make sequels and multi-part movies. But when decisions are made purely for economics and not for storytelling, it risks backfiring and disappointing audiences.