The pandemic became a factor in the rise of streaming services in India. However, examples like 'Laxmmi', 'Coolie No 1' etc have made it clear that masala movies which are ideal for theatrical releases are not suitable for digital format of distribution. This is why OTT giants are now carefull about paying large sums for the streaming rights of masala movies. “It is very clear that the needs, demands and impact of big-screen products are very different from the OTT. The big OTT players are looking at big losses by paying humongous amounts for big-screen blockbusters.A movie like Laxmii or Coolie No 1 would have elicited wolf-whistles in theatres. But they left audiences at home cold and unresponsive," said an executive from a giant OTT platform.

However, filmmakers are now adapting to this by making content specifically designed for digital platforms. Kartik Aaryan's 'Dhamaka' is one such film. It is said to be a game changer for the future of OTT entertainment in India. A sorurce told Yahoo!Style, "They are expecting a larger viewership for Dhamaka than any of the fictional Indian content on the major OTT platforms so far, excluding perhaps Sushant Singh’s Dil Bechara.”