New Delhi, June 5 -- For instance, Akshay Kumar's much-anticipated Amazon Prime Video debut, The End, announced in 2019, has yet to see the light of day.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.

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 Rs.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 y...