Rajma Chawal a film starring Rishi Kapoor and directed by Leena Yadav, who has earlier directed the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Academy Award Winner Sir Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai, in nutshell the who's who of Indian Film Industry & Hollywood, releases on Netflix as original. Many wouldn't know that the film was earlier slated to release in cinemas and shifted release dates thrice!The fact is, the film will do much better on Netflix. I have friends that release their films, week after week, with zero audience or cancelled shows. Why? Is it some sort of an ego trip, when after the first preview you know exactly how much money the film will rake in. It is proved by the BO collections of the films released in the last decade. In, 520 weeks close to 3900 Hindi films released and only 129 films have made money theatrically.
I myself was releasing my film 69 Opposites Attract way back in 2010, after having a screening for potential investors during Cannes Film Festival. The release was through a major multiplex chain across its properties in India, knowing very well that the film won't make money; but then after a meeting with the group president and their demand for extra money to promote the film at their properties, I knew I have to look for an avenue, an avenue not tried in India ever before and I made 69 Opposites Attract, the first feature film to release exclusively online.
Almost a decade after my feature film; Rajma Chawal becomes the first feature film starring an A-list actor, Rishi Kapoor, that won't have a theatrical release but release exclusively online. This is a very sane decision taken by producers Aseem Bajaj & director Leena Yadav, all the best to the team of Rajma Chawal.
