New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- Feature films released directly on streaming platforms are struggling to compete with long-format web series that run into multiple seasons and episodes, keeping audiences engaged with an ongoing storyline.

According to a report by media consulting firm Ormax, the most-watched Hindi language original movie on OTT in 2024, Do Patti, garnered a viewership of 15.1 million, half that by the most-watched Hindi web show Mirzapur. Entertainment industry experts say that the established franchise value and multi-episode storytelling of a series benefit new seasons in terms of instant eyeballs.

By contrast, films that stream straight away on OTT platforms often have to battle the perception that they are not good enough for...