Varun Dhawan to star in new Amazon Prime Video original

Actor Varun Dhawan will play the lead role in the Indian instalment of spy thriller Citadel led by director duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, who will serve as showrunners and directors of the series. Written by Sita R. Menon along with Raj & DK, the untitled show, which starts filming in January 2023, will mark Dhawan’s streaming debut.

Dhawan is the latest Bollywood name to have reconciled to the growing popularity of the web even as several stars and studios remained wary of direct-to-digital releases during the covid-19 pandemic. Shahid Kapoor will be seen on Amazon Prime Video in a drama thriller created by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, while Akshay Kumar has confirmed action show The End for Amazon Prime Video. Ajay Devgn appeared in Disney+ Hotstar original Rudra-The Edge of Darkness earlier this year.

Media experts say the viewership of several streaming platforms is inching towards a few million subscribers in India, making it easy for them to make the kind of investment these stars look at. The production budget is linked to user growth. A top-grade web show in India can now look at budgets of Rs. 60-80 crore, on par with what is usually spent on feature films with compensation for A-list male stars falling around Rs. 15 crore.

Moreover, the four to five million subscribers that platforms have added to the overall OTT ecosystem over the past few years has given them scale and made sure that stars look at them as avenues that will only help their brand image, not dilute it. The foray made by top stars to digital platforms stems from their desire to stay relevant and connected with the youth and be part of disruptive stories, experts say.