Two more Sandalwood films ready for OTT release

Bengaluru: Under the effect of coronavirus filmmakers are saying goodbye to cinema theatres and looking at OTT platforms to release their films. As many as 10 films, across five languages including two from Sandalwood, are being released directly on Over the Top (OTT) platform in the next two months. The makers of Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja, starring Aravinnd Iyer, and Manne Number 13, starring Varsha Bollamma have decided to turn their back on theatres.

The move has come after several member of the Kannada film fraternity are convinced that this is the way forward as long as it is restricted to low budget films with content that specifically caters to the multiplex audience. However, the owners of theatre, multiplexes and distributors are worried that the move would kill their business in the long run.

According to the reports, movies released on OTT (Amazon Prime Video) during the pandemic were watched in over 4,000 thousand cities and towns. Also, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films are attracting 50 per cent of the viewers from outside the home states. Now, fresh content will begin streaming on the platform in five different languages starting October 15. The platform already had 10 regional content in five different languages including two Sandalwood films like Law, French Biriyani. Two more Sandalwood films will be added to the list soon. The premiere of Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja has been scheduled for October 29 and Manne Number 13 for November 19.

Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja is directed by Karthik Saragur and stars Aravinnd Iyer, Aarohi Narayan, Priyanka Thimmesh, Achyuth Kumar and Aadya. Since the film revolves around cooking, Aravinnd Iyer, who plays the hero, was sent to be trained to handle a kitchen. The movie is bankrolled jointly by Pushkara Mallikarjunaiah, Rakshit Shetty and Hemanth M Rao under Paramvah Studios, Pushkar Films, and Lost and Found Films banner. Charan Raj is the music composer of the film and Ravindranath is cinematographer. The film is based on six rasas -- sweet, sour, salt, bitter, pungent and astringent, and the six characters represent six rasas.

Maane Number 13 is a horror-thriller directed by Vivy Kathiresan. Produced by Krishna Chaitanya's Sri Swarnalatha Productions, the film stars Varsha Bollamma, Aiswarya Gowda, Praveen Prem, Chetan Gandharva, Ramana and Sanjeiv.