Ekam Web Series: Sandeep PS talks about the difficulties they faced with OTT Platforms

Four years later, Rakshit Shetty is now bringing the highly anticipated Kannada web series, Ekam, to audiences through a platform specifically designed for the show. Despite initial excitement from fans due to the star-studded cast, major OTT platforms showed no interest in the project. Ekam Season 1- Karavali, consisting of 7 episodes, each promising a unique and engaging experience, is set to premiere on July 13. Sandeep PS from Journeyman Productions, who co-created the show with Sumanth Bhat, shared insights with the media ahead of the release. Ekam will be available to viewers as TVOD (transactional video on demand) for Rs 149.

According to Sandeep, When Ekam was created, they believed it was the opportune moment to launch it on a prominent OTT platform, given the intense competition in content production and acquisition. Regrettably, their assumptions did not align with reality. Reflecting on the missteps, one fundamental error was commencing production before the pandemic, when the OTT landscape had different requirements. The platforms were more assertive in content acquisition and preferred specific formats. It seems the platforms overextended themselves by acquiring excessive content and focusing on anthology formats, which were easier to produce during the pandemic but ultimately proved unsuccessful.

They now adhere to a successful format otherwise the word is off-limits. This is what Sandeep and Co were informed when they approached them. Most importantly, the Ekam Team was too early in the market. What’s strange is that almost all the rejections the team faced were made without the show being viewed. That was completely unexpected. Sandeep said they thought it would be easy and that someone would pick it up because there was a market for it. However, they were in for a big surprise; for over two years, when they approached every platform, and despite having some connections at a few, the Ekam team realized that it was a policy-level issue – they did not have a mandate for Kannada content.

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