# Mohanlal Reveals Why His COVID OTT Films Flopped in Theatres — And It Has Nothing to Do With Quality

URL: https://technosports.co.in/mohanlal-reveals-why-his-covid/  
Published: 2026-05-24  
Updated: 2026-05-24  
Author: Reetam Bodhak

As **Drishyam 3** continues its strong theatrical run, Mohanlal has opened up about a chapter of his career that many fans quietly wondered about — the string of films he made during the COVID-19 pandemic that later underperformed when released in cinemas.

## What Mohanlal Actually Said?

In a candid conversation with Reporter TV, the Malayalam superstar didn’t mince words. He explained that releasing **Drishyam 2** directly on OTT was never a creative choice — it was a human one.

During the pandemic, rather than shutting down entirely, Mohanlal chose to keep working so that crew members, technicians, and daily-wage workers dependent on film productions could survive financially. He reportedly acted in around **seven films** during the COVID period — possibly the highest by any Indian actor at the time.

![](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/snsnsnhsnsn-1024x538.jpg)

Those films were built *for* OTT. When some were later pushed into theatres, audiences — already familiar with the digital-first content — didn’t show up.

> *“We made films so people could survive.”* — Mohanlal

That one line says everything.

## Mohanlal’s COVID-Era Filmmaking

| Detail | Info |
| --- | --- |
| Films acted during COVID | ~7 (reportedly highest by any actor) |
| Drishyam 2 release platform | OTT (Amazon Prime Video) |
| Reason for OTT release | Pandemic restrictions + crew welfare |
| Theatrical performance of OTT films | Mostly underperformed |
| Current release | Drishyam 3 (in theatres now) |

## Why Drishyam 2 on OTT Was Actually a Win

Here’s the irony — Drishyam 2, despite skipping cinemas entirely, became one of the most-watched Malayalam films ever on streaming. Mohanlal noted that fans from as far as Bihar reached out, saying they watched the film **in Malayalam with subtitles**. That’s the kind of organic reach no theatrical release can guarantee.

It also helped Malayalam cinema punch far above its weight nationally — a fact Mohanlal credits directly to the OTT boom during [the COVID-19 pandemic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic).

For a deeper dive into how OTT changed Indian cinema during this era, check out our piece on [how streaming platforms reshaped South Indian box office trends](https://technosports.co.in).

## What Is Drishyam 3 About?

Drishyam 3 picks up after the events of Part 2. Georgekutty is now living as a theatre owner and film producer, even making a film inspired by his own family’s harrowing story. But the attention that film draws begins to unravel everything he worked so hard to bury.

The cast includes **Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Siddique,** and **Asha Sarath**, with Jeethu Joseph returning to direct. Early reactions suggest the film delivers on the franchise’s promise of tense, psychological storytelling.

## FAQs

### **Q: Why did Mohanlal make so many OTT films during COVID?**

 He prioritised keeping his crew employed during the pandemic shutdown, making roughly seven films to ensure daily-wage workers and technicians had an income.

### **Q: Why did Mohanlal’s OTT films fail in theatres later?**

 Those films were conceived and produced specifically for digital viewing — when pushed into cinemas afterward, they lacked the theatrical DNA audiences expect on the big screen.