Vivek Agnihotri on Bloody Daddy streaming for free: Bollywood celebrating its destruction

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has expressed concern over the release of Shahid Kapoor’s latest film, Bloody Daddy, on the JioCinema platform for free. Agnihotri referred to this business model as "insane" and suggested that it could potentially lead to the destruction of Bollywood. The film, which was released on June 9, has garnered attention due to its digital release strategy.

Why would anyone show a 200 cr film for free, asks Vivek Agnihotri

In a tweet, Agnihotri questioned why a film with a budget of 200 crores would be made available for free. He expressed his worry about the implications of such a model and lamented that Bollywood seemed to be celebrating its own downfall. He tweeted, “Why would anyone show a ₹200 cr film for free? What’s this insane business model?”

His concerns prompted a response from a Twitter user who explained that this was the OTT platform's approach, which offers content for free initially to attract a larger customer base. Eventually, they plan to introduce nominal charges while generating revenue through advertisements. The user also predicted that other OTT platforms would adopt a similar strategy, transforming the ad-free nature of OTT into a more commercialised medium resembling traditional television. 

(Twitter user reacted to Vivek Agnihotri's question for free viewing Bloody Daddy on OTT | Image: THE SKIN DOCTOR\twitter)

Vivek further engaged with the user’s explanation and questioned whether the 200 crore investment in the film could be seen as a form of advertising cost. This perspective resonated with many twitter users who agreed with his assessment. 

(Vivek reacts to twitter users explanation | Image: Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri\twitter)

Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bloody Daddy is a high-budget OTT movie designed with the potential for sequels. Zafar emphasised that the film has not compromised on its budget or scale to fit the OTT format. He expressed confidence that the film's content would be well-supported in the OTT space. The movie features an ensemble cast including Ronit Roy, Sanjay Kapoor, Diana Penty, and Rajeev Khandelwal. It is a remake of the 2011 French film Sleepless Night and follows Shahid Kapoor's character, Sumair, as he confronts various adversaries over the course of one eventful night in Gurugram.