‘Khalid Ke Shivaji’: Why Raj More’s Marathi film never reached theatres and quietly landed on OTT
Raj More's debut Marathi feature, 'Khalid Ke Shivaji', has bypassed a traditional theatrical release to debut directly on an OTT platform. The director cited a lack of industry support and distributor hesitation as the primary reasons for the film's delayed transition to streaming.
Following a year of uncertainty after its theatrical run was halted, Raj More’s debut Marathi film 'Khalid Ke Shivaji' has quietly premiered on a digital streaming platform. The director revealed that despite efforts to bring the project to the big screen, distributors were largely unwilling to screen the film, leading to a significant delay in its public release.
More expressed disappointment regarding the lack of institutional support within the regional film industry for independent debut projects. He noted that the film underwent several creative and technical changes during the year-long hiatus to ensure it was ready for its eventual transition to the OTT space.
The narrative surrounding the film's release highlights the ongoing challenges faced by smaller-budget regional productions in securing physical screen space. More indicated that the shift to streaming was the most viable path forward to ensure the work finally reached its intended audience. Source: The Free Press Journal.
