Kamal Haasan exit from Bigg Boss exposes reach of OTT

 Exit of Kamal Haasan, host of Bigg Boss Ultimate reality show is the reach of OTT in Tamil Nadu ( outside Chennai) and also has brought back the comparison between the  5 serials TRP in both the channels. One major reason being said for Kamal's exit is that the OTT platform Disney Hotstar does not have the reach to take the show across Tamil Nadu and it was mutually beneficial for OTT platform and host to part ways. For Disney, the amount paid to Kamal was burning a big hole in the pocket and for the actor, his proposed visit to Paris Fashion week to promote his brand of Khaddhar clothes and  post production work that needs to be done abroad for his own film Vikram would have been affected if he were to be in  Chennai every weekend for next four weeks. Kamal has used the latest BOLT camera to film the climax and is leaving no stone unturned to make it a technical treat.

( courtesy: tamiltvexpress )

One of the contestants Thamarai in Ultimate show itself kept grumbling that her house in a village does have internet broadband to get a OTT APP and nobody had a Smart TV. Though Kamal read out figures of BB Ultimate voting to be double of BB on Star VIjay, advertisements and the in house brands that featured were nothing `national' about it.

By bringing in a lesser paid host for a weekend appearance and as the viewership on the days would continue like before, Disney would save the show from being a white elephant. As trade experts pointed out that with Mumbai- Delhi- Kolkata Metros as a strong market for BB, the OTT Hindi version was hosted by Karan Johar and not Salman Khan.

Secondly< STAR VIJAY, urban- rural combine TRP ratings has plunged and as per BARC rating even their flagship serial Raja Rani slipped gradually from No 1 to No 5.and shares spot with Sun TV's Roja. A One time No 1 Bharathi Kannamma of Star Vijay slipped to No 6th. Sun TV's Kayal is No 1.

Star Vijay, only channel to put up a fight in Tamil segment and be sixth on the All India list of viewed channels, has however a consolation that all the four top slots in BARC Urban belongs to their stable. Among the reality shows, BB is only one that has accepted by viewers and mainly because of the host reach outside the Chenaai Metro. Zee Tamil Survivor hosted by Actor Arjun and Sun TV's Master Chef by Actor Vijay Sethupathi failed to create any ripples.