The rise of small-town tales on OTT: A cheap, culturally wealthy pattern

The pattern could have began with exhibits akin to Panchayat in April 2020. Now, it has unfold as makers take exhibits to small, distant elements of the nation, whether or not it’s Punjab in Kohrra or the northeast within the newest season of Paatal Lok, cashing in on native dialects and expertise.

While the widespread notion is that OTT is an upmarket, metro phenomenon with restricted viewership in smaller cities, executives mentioned that within the effort to widen viewers attain, writers and makers are setting tales within the hinterland, which makes it cost-effective to place collectively and permits for brand new faces and actual areas. Even metro audiences more and more search rooted tales from past the cities.

“Culturally related storytelling helps audiences join with their roots and see their lived realities on display screen, which fosters deeper engagement,” mentioned Raghavendra Hunsur, chief content material officer of ZEEL.

While the metros account for a good portion of OTT consumption, there’s been a notable and regular rise in viewership in tier-two and tier-three cities, with a significant portion of ZEE5’s viewers from these areas, Hunsur added, noting that such tales more and more resonate with city audiences as nicely.

“The emotional depth, sociocultural nuance, and grounded storytelling supply a refreshing break from the gloss of typical city narratives,” he identified. 

Titles akin to Aindham Vedham, Sankranthiki Vasthunam, Ayyana Mane, Vikkatakavi: The Chronicles of Amaragiri and Bhaiyyaji are prime examples of tales set in smalltown India streaming on ZEE5.

Nostalgia, depth

In the fast-paced city life, tales set in small cities or rural settings carry a way of nostalgia and depth, agreed Nitin Gupta, chief content material officer at Chaupal, a platform specialising in Punjabi, Haryanvi and Bhojpuri content material. The service’s titles akin to Shikaari and Zila Sangrur have drawn viewers with their uncooked portrayal of village life and tradition. The upcoming Sarpanchi 2 and Shahi Majra 2 are constructed on the success of their first seasons.

The early adopters for any medium, together with OTT platforms, have a tendency to come back from bigger cities, in accordance with Arpit Mankar, head of non-Bollywood class at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. However, as these platforms develop, smaller cities catch up.

“We have seen this pattern throughout Pay TV, FM radio, and even YouTube. This shift naturally drives a requirement for extra genuine, culturally resonant narratives that cater to a broader viewers base,” Mankar mentioned.

He added that consequently, smalltown tales have turn out to be a important a part of content material technique. They supply an opportunity to attach with numerous audiences by capturing the humour, aspirations, and distinctive struggles of on a regular basis India. These tales resonate with audiences by reflecting native traditions and the common experiences of smalltown life.

While metro-centric content material is getting more and more repetitive, trying and sounding the identical, regional tales discover extra draw from the truth that many viewers who dwell in huge cities come from smaller cities, producer and director Hemal A Thakkar mentioned.

“OTTs are additionally trying to cater to the bottom widespread denominator now, which aren’t city viewers. The tales need to be accessible to all,” mentioned filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra, who directed the Netflix authentic Maharaj set in pre-Independence Bombay. Malhotra pointed to the success of rooted tales even on the large display screen, be it Lapataa Ladies or movies made in southern languages.

A wider lens

“The shift was lengthy overdue. Audiences in smaller cities have been at all times there—what was lacking have been tales that mirrored their lives with honesty. As platforms started to grasp that relatability typically outshines gloss, the storytelling lens naturally widened,” mentioned Dhruvin Shah, founder and CEO of JOJO, a Gujarati-language platform.

Platform executives and content material creators emphasised that the metros will not be the one OTT market anymore.

Charu Malhotra, co-founder and managing director of Primus Partners, mentioned from a manufacturing perspective, smaller cities supply decrease prices, whether or not it’s leases, permits or crew lodging. There can also be a rising expertise pool in these areas: actors, technicians and writers who perceive the native texture higher than anybody else.

“Beyond value, there’s a richness in expertise that’s typically untapped. By working with native expertise, we not solely management budgets but additionally nurture a sustainable inventive ecosystem. It’s not nearly saving cash, it’s about investing in grassroots storytelling, which in flip feeds the bigger imaginative and prescient of making inclusive, pan-Indian OTT content material,” mentioned Kaushik Das, founder and CEO of AAO NXT, an Odia-language OTT platform.