The multi-talented actor and film-maker Kamal Haasan completed a coup of sorts by going ahead with his plans of releasing Direct-to-Home(DTH) version of his mega project “Viswaroopam” to be released first. This will be the first movie which will be premiered on DTH before the release of the movie in thetheatres.
This is certainly going to change the trend in the Film Industry and alter the way this industry functions. The decision to release the movie on DTH has indeed set the industry discussing and debating this move of Kamal Hassan.
He is releasing the film using DTH operators and Rs 1000 will be charged per DTH connection for viewing Viswaroopam, which will be single viewing. The idea is to have only one show exactly eight hours before its threatrical screening. The producers are also confident that the nature of encryption of the movie is
such that the pirates will not be able to record it.
The producers and the exhibitors are quite unhappy about this move. Even the theatre owners’ association has opposed this as they obviously feel that if this example is replicated, it will lead to a heavy decline in the theatrical collections and will impact their profits. So, they have sought the intervention of J.Jayalalitha, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.