From Flops to Favorites: How Streaming Platforms Save Cinema's Theatrical Outcasts
Nukkad Naatak is arguably one of the most unusual Hindi films you will encounter this year. It is important to note that this is not a traditional Bollywood film, as it breaks away from the industry’s conventional mould. Created by two newcomers who are true outsiders with no major studio backing, this indie project was produced on a budget of under ₹1 crore. Despite its modest beginnings, it not only secured a theatrical run but also debuted on Netflix last week, where it has since trended in the top 10 and reached audiences who previously had no idea the film existed.
Nukkad Naatak represents an extreme example of a growing trend: streaming platforms turning films that did not receive their due in theatres into major successes. Whether it is titles like Haq or Dhadak 2, which failed to find their footing at the box office and were labelled “flops”, or projects like Kennedy, which never saw their intended theatrical release, OTT platforms have become a vital lifeline. These films are now evolving into “cult hits” within weeks of their digital debut.
OTT as a Second Innings for Cinema
Until very recently, box-office numbers were the only benchmark for how an audience received a film. It was rare for a project to shed the "flop" label, and when it did happen, it took a long time. For example, it took years of television reruns for Andaz Apna Apna to become a cult classic. Similarly, Black Friday only found its status a decade later through home media. Today, OTT platforms have accelerated this transformation, ensuring it happens in weeks rather than decades.
Shazia Iqbal’s Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, was praised by critics but struggled to earn significant revenue at the box office. However, just six weeks later on Netflix, it became one of the most-watched films on the platform. Shazia noted the shift in engagement, saying, “I don't have a lot of followers (on Instagram); still, I have about 20 DMs per hour. And Siddhant called me, and he said that this feels bigger than the theatrical release. And yes, it does feel like the reach is wider.” In its first two weeks alone, the film secured 3.3 million views.
Nukkad Naatak represents an extreme example of a growing trend: streaming platforms turning films that did not receive their due in theatres into major successes. Whether it is titles like Haq or Dhadak 2, which failed to find their footing at the box office and were labelled “flops”, or projects like Kennedy, which never saw their intended theatrical release, OTT platforms have become a vital lifeline. These films are now evolving into “cult hits” within weeks of their digital debut.
OTT as a Second Innings for Cinema
Until very recently, box-office numbers were the only benchmark for how an audience received a film. It was rare for a project to shed the "flop" label, and when it did happen, it took a long time. For example, it took years of television reruns for Andaz Apna Apna to become a cult classic. Similarly, Black Friday only found its status a decade later through home media. Today, OTT platforms have accelerated this transformation, ensuring it happens in weeks rather than decades.
Shazia Iqbal’s Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, was praised by critics but struggled to earn significant revenue at the box office. However, just six weeks later on Netflix, it became one of the most-watched films on the platform. Shazia noted the shift in engagement, saying, “I don't have a lot of followers (on Instagram); still, I have about 20 DMs per hour. And Siddhant called me, and he said that this feels bigger than the theatrical release. And yes, it does feel like the reach is wider.” In its first two weeks alone, the film secured 3.3 million views.
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