'Indian films missing out on on-demand internet viewing'

To generate revenues from movies, Indian filmmakers need to follow the US model and make them available on the internet so that fans can watch the content on the device they choose, anytime, everywhere, experts said.

With regard to Bengali cinema, despite the profusion of films made nowadays, there's a "disconnect" in availability of the movies for the three-and-a-half million Bengalis living abroad, according to the experts.

"From a technology perspective, the US has taken on the rest of the world. With internet replacing linear TV, your content should be really be viewable on any device, anytime and everywhere and every filmmaker, in order to monetise, needs to follow that path," Oney Seal, CEO, Databazaar India Pvt Ltd said at a panel discussion here.

Digital platforms like BongFlix and Netflix are popular for their on-demand availability of movies.

However, Vikramjit Roy of National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) said filmmakers are missing out on "winning the moment".

"His or her film needs to be watched on every medium. The investment on promotions and content online is ridiculously low. Web platforms cost one-tenth of the investments needed for traditional concepts like posters, etc and ensures more visibility," Roy, general manager (film production), NFDC said.

The panel discussion on 'The Future of Monetizing Films - Learning From US Trends' was organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce here on Monday evening.

Seal said while Bengali filmmakers are concerned about losing money, fans worldwide are demanding more content and the online market is yet to be tapped.

"There is a disconnect. There's about three and a half million Bengalis worldwide who are dying to watch the content and on the other hand we have producers here who are thinking how do we make up that revenue to break even," Seal said.

Roy said markets like France and Germany in Europe, where Bengali cinema has high demand, has to be targeted by producers and directors.