Kannada blockbusters bypass festive season

No big film is going to OTT, with producers waiting for cinema halls to work at full capacity

Big films such as Akshay Kumar’s ‘Laxmii’, Rajkummar Rao’s ‘Chhalaang’ and Suriya’s ‘Soorari Pottru’ have released on OTT this week. But Kannada producers are holding on to their films, waiting for the theatres to run at full capacity.

Showtime spoke to people behind big-budget Kannada films and they said the current 50 per cent capacity at the cinemas was not something they were enthused by.

‘Robertt’ for Christmas

Darshan-starrer ‘Roberrt’, directed by Tharun Sudhir and produced by Umapathy Srinivasa, was to hit the screens on April 9. Made with a whopping budget of Rs 60 crore, it is shot in and around Karnataka and in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. It was offered an OTT release, but the producer feels it is best seen at the cinemas.

“We have spent close to Rs 4 crore on the visual effects. We want Darshan fans to get a visual treat,” says Umapathy. If full capacity is allowed, the film will be out on December 25. “It will be our Christmas gift to Darshan’s fans,” he says.

Duniya Vijay’s directorial debut

‘Salaga’, Duniya Vijay’s directorial debut, is produced by K P Srikanth and is in its final stages of post-production. “The entire team of ‘Tagaru’ has come on board for this film. The fear of the pandemic has kept people indoors and 50 per cent capacity doesn’t work out for us. If everything goes well, we will release it in December,” says Srikanth.

Two mega films

Puneeth Rajkumar-starrer ‘Yuvarathnaa’ is almost ready and would have been out had it not been for the pandemic. Karthik, producer of ‘Yuvarathnaa’ and ‘KGF2,’ says, “These films have to be watched only in the theatres.”

While ‘Yuvarathnaa’ deals with the power of the youth, ‘KGF 2’ unravels the fate of don Rocky-bhai, with Bollywood actors Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon playing interesting roles.

‘Not a bad time’

‘Act 1978’'s director Mansore says this is the best time to release smaller films at the theatres, with no big-budget films to steal the limelight.

“If our film runs to 50 per cent capacity for at least three weeks, we will be able to recover a part of our production costs. OTT platforms see us as a small film, and are keen on big productions,” he says.

He will consider an OTT release after the film does the rounds at the theatres.

“There are 13 single-screen theatres that have come forward to screen our film. Our film will also be shown on 46 multiplex screens. We hope the number goes up before November 20,” says Mansore.

6ne Maili on OTT

National award-winning actor Sanchari Vijay’s ‘6ne Maili’, meaning 6th Mile, had a theatrical release in 2018, and released on OTT on November 11.

“Our film will reach a global audience,” says an excited Sanchari Vijay. “We shot it in the dense Western Ghats.” He hopes more Kannada films make their way to OTT platforms.