From Stranger Things to You: A two-part season finale: Yay or Nay?

The world of OTT has, time and again, reinvented the way content is created and consumed. And among the many experiments in storytelling formats that the web space has spearheaded, is releasing the finale season in two parts. While several popular web series from the West, such as Money Heist, Lucifer and Better Call Saul have incorporated the trend, it is yet to make inroads into the Indian OTT space. We ask makers as well as actors if they are open to the idea.

Bejoy Nambiar, creator of The Fame Game, feels it “all depends on the story, the arc and the popularity”. Quoting an example, he says, “If it is hugely popular and the market and story demand a longer version, only then it makes sense. Like the Harry Potter film split into two parts. Similarly, I recently watched Better Call Saul, which was broken into two parts. That worked for me as there was enough anticipation for it.”

Actor Saiyami Kher, too, stresses on the importance of content in making such calls: “I feel, it should only be done if there is enough content to be split into two parts.” A huge fan of the show Money Heist, Kher tells us that the format didn’t particularly work for her as a viewer. Explaining why, the Choked actor says, “It took away from the story and the pace of the show. It’s always nice to keep reinventing and trying something new. But, the bottom line is that you must have enough material on paper.”

Apart from popularity and content, another factor that may drive makers to opt for this format is to rectify the narrative. Aarya writer Charudutt Acharya says, “I am 100% sure it is happening because it allows creators to gauge the audience’s feedback and make changes in the last part.” On whether he sees the trend being adopted in India, he says, “I am not very sure whether it will come to India soon because our production lineups are slightly different. We tend to get dates and shoot in one go, so it makes more sense that way… Only time will tell if this catches up here.”

And while there are several reasons why makers opt for this route, not all of them are creative. Breaking down the logistical factors, Asur: Welcome to Your Dark Side creator Gaurav Shukla says, “Often, when content is split into two seasons, it is not a creative or marketing thing, but more of a compulsion. With the pandemic and the lockdown, things slowed down and many big shows couldn’t be completed in time. Due to the massive demand, makers decided to release in two parts. We had a similar discussion for one of my shows.” He feels that as the pandemic-related restrictions ease, the trend may not see the light of the day in the Indian web space. “In this almost Covid-free world, I don’t see it going forward,” he ends.