Archive · 17 Nov 2025
Anurag Kashyap Explains Nishaanchi's Direct-to-Streaming Release
A movie director, Anurag Kashyap, made the first part of his film, Nishaanchi, but not many people went to see it in theaters.
The first part also ended in a way that made people want to see the next part right away.
Because of the low ticket sales and to give everyone the complete story, the director and the movie company decided to put both the first and second parts of the movie on a streaming service called Amazon Prime Video together.
The director felt that releasing it directly on streaming was better than trying to release the second part in theaters where it might not be seen.
He also explained that rules make it hard to tell people about movies that aren't big blockbusters.
Anurag Kashyap's crime epic Nishaanchi's second part premiered directly on Amazon Prime Video alongside the first part.
The decision followed the first part's underperformance at the box office, earning just over Rs 1 crore.
Kashyap cited audience lack of support for Part 1 in theaters as a primary reason for the direct OTT release of Part 2.
He blamed strict theater-OTT rules for hindering the promotion of non-major films, making theatrical runs difficult.
Kashyap mentioned this is a pattern in his career, with many past films facing similar dismissal by exhibitors.
- Who
- Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and producers Amazon MGM
- What
- Decided to release both parts of the film Nishaanchi together on Amazon Prime Video, bypassing a traditional theatrical release for the second part.
- When
- Part 1 released in September; both parts dropped on Amazon Prime Video around November 10-14.
- Where
- Amazon Prime Video (streaming platform)
- Why
- Low box office earnings of Part 1 (around Rs 1 crore), its cliffhanger ending, and difficulties promoting non-'tent-pole' films due to theater-OTT rules. Kashyap also cited a pattern of his films being discarded by exhibitors.
Filmmaker's Perspective
Industry Norms & Exhibitor Practices
Release Strategy Justification
Filmmaker's Perspective
Anurag Kashyap suggested the direct OTT release for Nishaanchi 2 because the first part underperformed at the box office (earning around Rs 1 crore) and ended on a cliffhanger. He believes audiences deserve the complete experience on a platform like Prime Video.
Industry Norms & Exhibitor Practices
The traditional model involves theatrical release followed by an OTT release after a set period (e.g., 8 weeks). Releasing directly to OTT, especially for a film with a prior theatrical run, deviates from this standard industry practice.
Promotion Challenges
Filmmaker's Perspective
Kashyap cited the strict theater-OTT rules (8-week gap) as a barrier to promoting films that are not considered 'tent-pole' releases. This makes it difficult to build word-of-mouth for smaller films.
Industry Norms & Exhibitor Practices
While the 8-week gap is an agreed-upon rule, exhibitors sometimes abandon films quickly if they don't perform well, contradicting the spirit of allowing word-of-mouth to build. This impacts the film's potential for broader reach.
Career Pattern
Filmmaker's Perspective
Kashyap feels his films have been 'discarded' by exhibitors throughout his career, making him appreciate having a studio (Amazon) that also owns a streaming platform to back his projects.
Industry Norms & Exhibitor Practices
The decision to release on OTT can be seen as a business strategy driven by box office performance, a common occurrence in the film industry where profitability dictates release plans.
- Film Series
- Nishaanchi (Part 1 & Part 2)
- Director
- Anurag Kashyap
- Part 1 Box Office Opening
- Rs 25 lakh
- Part 1 Total Box Office Collection
- Slightly over Rs 1 crore
- Part 2 Release Platform
- Amazon Prime Video
- Release Strategy
- Both parts released together on OTT
- Part 1 Setting
- Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
- Debut
- Aishwarya Thackeray
Sources
Anurag Kashyap Reveals Why Nishaanchi 2 Premiered Directly On OTT: ‘Had The Audience Turned Up…’
Anurag Kashyap says he asked Nishaanchi Part 2 to be dropped on OTT after first film earned Rs 1 cr: ‘Seen my films being discarded my whole career’
