Bollywood, reeling from coronavirus pandemic, shifts to streaming

India's film industry, which relied on theatrical releases, is experimenting with going straight to streaming services such as Amazon, Netflix and Disney's Hotstar.

“Coolie No. 1” has all the hallmarks of a big Bollywood film: colorful costumes, larger-than-life sets, foot-tapping music and a melodramatic story about a man who pretends he has a twin to woo the woman of his dreams.
 

After shooting wrapped in February, the film was set for a May theatrical release. But when “Coolie No. 1” finally reaches screens on Christmas Day, it will not show up in one of India’s 3,000 theaters. Instead, it will debut on Amazon’s streaming service.
 

“I make films for the theater, but this time there was no way we could do that,” said