Suriya’s 'Soorarai Pottru' to release directly on Amazon Prime

Popular Tamil actor Suriya-starrer Soorarai Pottru, a film based on the struggles of Captain G R Gopinath who founded low-cost airline Air Deccan, will directly premiere on OTT platform, Amazon Prime, on Oct. 30, skipping a theatrical release.

This is the second major Tamil film to directly release on Amazon Prime after Ponmagal Vandhal starring Jyothika, Suriya’s wife. Production company 2D Entertainment, promoted by Suriya and Jyothika, has produced both Soorarai Pottru and Ponmagal Vandhal.

Soorarai Pottru was scheduled to be released by mid-2020, but the Covid-19 lockdown delayed it. Suriya and Amazon Prime announced the direct premiere of the movie in separate statements on Saturday.

“This will be the best film in my career as a film actor. I would love to watch this movie in theatres in the company of my fans, but the current situation does not allow such joy. I feel it is the duty of the producer to make a movie that has been made with creativity and hard work of those involved to the people at the right time,” said Suriya in a statement.

He also announced that he would contribute Rs 5 crore from the proceedings of the movie sale to the needy during Covid-19. “I feel it is the right thing to make a decision as a producer rather than an actor in such difficult times,” Suriya added in the statement.

“Essaying Capt. Gopinath’s character came to me as a challenge but we are very proud of our final product! I am glad that audiences across the world will be able to watch Soorarai Pottru, on Amazon Prime Video from their homes in these unprecedented times. This film is our labour of love and I am happy that it will now entertain the global audience,” Suriya said.

Suriya had faced stiff opposition from the theatre owners’ association when he decided to release Ponmagal Vandhal on Amazon Prime. Though the direct premiere on OTT platforms is an indication of what the future has in store for the thriving entertainment industry in India, theatre owners oppose the move, saying that they would incur losses.

Some producers, who have been struggling to get slots for their movies in cinema theatres for several months, are also grabbing the opportunities that come their way from OTT platforms, which view the Covid-19 lockdown as an opportunity to tap into the Indian film market.

“Following the overwhelming response we received to the recently launched Ponmagal Vandhal, we are excited to treat our audience with the global premiere of a highly-anticipated Suriya starrer Soorarai Pottru on Amazon Prime Video," said Vijay Subramaniam, Director and Head, Content, Amazon Prime Video India. "G. R. Gopinath’s life and accomplishments have been an inspiration to many – and we are thrilled to bring such an uplifting story to our audiences.”

Captain Gopinath, born in Karnataka’s Mandya district, spent eight years in the Indian Army and fought in the 1971 Indo-Pak war that ended with the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan. He co-founded Deccan Aviation, a charter helicopter service, and launched Air Deccan in 2003, which revolutionised air travel in India.