KOCHI: Concerned that many Malayalam movies of yesteryear are no longer available on any streaming platform? Fret not. CSpace, the state government-owned OTT service that is being readied for launch, will act as a space to preserve and exhibit classic Malayalam flicks.
The platform, expected to go online in two months after the original launch plan for November 1 last year was delayed will also provide an avenue for upcoming filmmakers to exhibit their creations.
Shaji N Karun, chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), the brain behind the platform, said the app will be launched in the next couple of months. “With CSpace, Kerala will become the only state to have its own OTT platform. This will be more than a streaming platform,” the director said, adding that through CSpace, KSFDC aims to conserve old as well as new movies, to preserve our culture in the digital space.
“CSpace will be a space where Malayalis can watch movies at an affordable rate.” Shaji said the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and KSFDC may consider restoration of damaged films to bring it on CSpace in future. The inspiration being the recent restoration of G Aravindan’s 1979 classic Kummatty.
N Maya, managing director of KSFDC, said the corporation and Chitranjali Studio have written to several well-known film producers and directors to register their films with CSpace.
‘Expert panel formed to select movies’
“The registration of movies has also started, and we have landed around 100 movies, she said. “A committee of experts has been formed to screen and select movies,” Maya said. A Bengaluru-based company is working on developing the app. “We are aiming to make CSpace a high-quality OTT platform, on the lines of Netflix and Amazon Prime,” said Maya.
To ensure the quality of the platform, KSFDC has selected the best technicians and developers. Maya added that the developers were selected after many screenings and rounds of discussions. “We have to follow many rules and regulations while assigning a team to develop the application.
We have selected the team after many discussions,” she said. Maya said pricing will be set in such a way that it is affordable for the public and profitable for film producers. The platform will also host old Tamil movies, she added. On the delay in the platform’s launch, KSFDC officials said it was due to multiple processes involved in app development.