Sushant Singh Rajput’s last film Dil Bechara is estimated to have garnered a record viewership of 50 million-100 million, in the first three days of its premiere on Disney+Hotstar, according to industry experts.
While the young actor’s sudden demise and the overwhelming sympathy has been a factor, the surge in viewership can be also be attributed to the fact that the film is not behind a paywall.
Shailesh Kapoor, CEO at Ormax Media estimates the AVOD (advertisement-based video on demand) segment makes up about 40%-60% of Hotstar’s user base. “According to our tracking research, the interest in the film and awareness about it is in fact higher than for any other OTT show or film released during the lockdown,” Kapoor told FE.
Gulabo Sitabo which premiered on subscription-based platform Amazon Prime Video is understood to have garnered a viewership of about 20-30 million over a month. Dil Bechara premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on July 24. Directed by Mukesh Chaabra, the film was Rajput’s last project.