Kiran Rao claims Indian OTT has seen a bubble burst; filmmaker hopes for better content creation

Filmmaker Kiran Rao shared her candid thoughts on the Indian OTT scene during her keynote address at the 7th Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC). Rao, the director of Laapataa Ladies, highlighted the golden age of OTT in India but expressed uncertainty about its current trajectory.

Kiran Rao reflects on OTT & hopes for better content creation

According to Rao, there was a time when OTT offered creators the freedom to experiment and push boundaries, but this has since changed. She believes that the content on OTT platforms now bears little difference from what typically works in films. “Now, more and more you see the kind of things that are so-called ‘working’ or big on OTT in India are usually stuff which isn’t vastly different from what we would see in films.”

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Rao emphasized that this trend is likely due to the “bubble burst” in the OTT industry, where the initial excitement and creative freedom have given way to more commercial and formulaic storytelling. “There is a lot of promise there, a lot of stories to be told, I just don’t know how many people are commissioning them and the economics allows one to do,” she said.

Kiran Rao on her OTT content creation

When asked if she intends to create content for OTT platforms, Rao revealed that she has a couple of series ideas, including a mini-series, but nothing has been officially greenlit yet. She jokingly noted that she often feels inclined to transform her series ideas into films instead, citing a desire to maintain control over her creative vision.

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About Kiran Rao’s background

Rao started her career as an assistant director to Ashutosh Gowariker in Lagaan, followed by stints on Swades and Monsoon Wedding. She made her directorial debut with Dhobi Ghat in 2011 and later turned producer with notable films like Talaash, Dangal, and Laal Singh Chaddha, returning to direction in 2024 with Laapataa Ladies.

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