OTTs Cut Back, But Top Stars Command Big Money

Even as India's video-streaming platforms slash content budgets and greenlight fewer shows, a select group of homegrown OTT stars—who shot to fame during the platform boom—are holding steady on pay, according to industry executives.

- Lata Jha

Actors like Jaideep Ahlawat and Pankaj Tripathi—who broke out on the digital medium and became synonymous with OTT hits—continue to command hefty fees, sometimes up to 20 crore per season for popular shows like Paatal Lok and Criminal Justice.

In contrast, big-budget web originals featuring top Bollywood stars—heavily promoted during the OTT surge a few years ago—appear to be on the back burner, as platforms now view their fees as cost-prohibitive. One telling example is The End, Akshay Kumar's high-profile Amazon Prime Video debut announced in 2019, which remains unreleased six years later.

Platforms are tightening purse strings across the board, but data-driven insights into viewer engagement and retention seem to be insulating these digital-first actors—for now.