ZEE5 collaborates again with the dynamic Manoj Bajpayee for his latest thriller, “Despatch”. The film “Despatch” is from the directorial hand of Kanu Behl. There, the versatile actor Manoj Bajpayee will star as a tabloid journalist crippled by digitalization and at the helm of a midlife crisis. It is set to premiere soon on ZEE5 and the fans await seeing whether it can repeat the magic that they had stirred up together with “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai”.
“Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai” had been a super hit on ZEE5, garnering appreciation and raking in a massive viewership. The film’s hard-hitting narrative and the impeccable deliverance by Bajpayee fetched in the audience, and ZEE5 sealed its trench in presenting content that seems relatable.
“Despatch” promises to be another edge-of-the-seat thriller, with Bajpayee’s nuanced portrayal of a journalist caught in a web of crime and digital upheaval. It will add some star power by having Shahana Goswami and Rituparna Sen.
However, there is at the same time a sense of distrust about the movie’s direct OTT release. It is also believed that the directors may have not been so sure about the theatrical release, which would affect viewer traffic as such movies rely heavily on the word-of-the-mouth recommendation that should work well for a movie to do well.
Word of mouth will make and break a film in an oversaturated OTT space. Early viewers’ raving reviews can kick-start huge interest in this movie, while negative feedback will crunch it in no time. So, to be a success, “Despatch” needs to appeal to its first set of viewers and motivate them enough to share word of mouth.
Regionals seem to have found an abode in OTT platforms like ZEE5. These platforms are handing over films that would not have gotten a good broad theatrical play.
Such exposure is required for the films like “Despatch”, which otherwise might not reach a huge audience. With the effective marketing by ZEE5 and fan following for Bajpayee, “Despatch” sure seems to become a superhit.
Will “Despatch” become another “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai” on ZEE5?
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