5 hours. 4 decision-makers. 1 rule broken? Inside the 5-hour Maddock-PVRInox meeting that paved the way for Bhool Chuk Maaf’s 2-week OTT drop

The landscape of the theatre's approval can be at the edge of the earthquake change, whilst being calm - and everything concerns Bourchukhmuff. With the tips of Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, upcoming Romcom has already created headlines for its public strategy. The film is initially assumed to be headed directly towards digital due to market volatility and a tense geopolitical background. The film will be released on May 23rd. But what really worked was just two weeks of window whispers before it ended with Amazon Prime videos. 

If this step is correct, this step is different from what traditionally followed an eight-week theatre exclusive time. In this step, exhibitors usually insist on protecting film revenues before film OTT. Sources that have followed closely to the development say that Bhool Chuk Maaf may have been a special case of a behind-the-scenes strategic meeting with Maddock Films and Pvrinox. 

Reports show that a five-hour meeting with closed doors was held earlier this week at Madok headquarters in Mumbai. Participants included Pvrinox producers Dinesh Vijan and Top Brass, namely Kamal Gian Chandani, Thomas Dâ Souza and Rajender Jyala. Bollywood Hungama, an industry source launched at the conference, said: "In this film, conversation was not possible. It was about the long-term content pipeline, mutual partnerships and sustainability of business lawyers in a changing ecosystem. First, the window for four weeks began to float. However, it included a two-week compromise, especially considering platform pressure from Amazon. 

PVRINOX provides a trade reference that the abbreviation window is a breakup between legal negotiations and court proceedings, but sources show that the conditions were achieved through internal discussions, focusing on future cooperation rather than conflict. 

Our source added: "Amazon Prime Video wanted to create films early during times with internal planning requirements. This urgency controlled stakeholders to assess whether exceptions could be made for producers such as Maddock, which has a strong and consistent track record with theatrical publications, particularly the standard. 

A report on legal tensions between Maddock and Pvrinox appeared earlier this month, the latter even received a stay for Digitaler First's publication, but the meeting may have contributed to legal cooling of the heat. Interestingly, sources show that Vijjan trained concerns about the industry, including food and drinks (F&B), pricing, strict exhibition expectations, and imbalances in small film presentations. "He is said to have questioned whether the eight-week theatre exclusive engagement was equipped with screen storage or a respectable show time guarantee," our source reveals. Reports suggest that this pure question reflected Pvrinox in its current dynamics. The pressure from the OTT platform, competition from other publications, and increased audience expectations have led to consensus that flexibility could be required, especially when negotiated by producers. 

The Bhool Chuk Maaf scenario could be a test case that could affect future conversations between exhibitors and content producers. No official statements to confirm the OTT window have been published, but speculation transactions are usually made and exhibitors report this case. This step is not carefully framed as a single off, but it presents precedents that others can cite, fearing that it will undermine exhibitors' collective attitudes with the 8-week rule. 

A few days before the film is published, all eyes, whether the rumored two-week OTT debut goes hand in hand, if so, a big fallout is possible in the already developed exhibition ecosystem.