ARM on OTT: When will Tovino Thomas' fantasy drama arrive on streaming?

Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas continues his winning streak with his latest movie, Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM) , which is quickly becoming one of the biggest hits of his career as its global earnings cross Rs 90 crore.

The big question now is: when will ARM make its debut on a streaming platform? Given its strong box office performance, it’s unlikely to hit OTT just four weeks after its theatrical release, a trend that has become popular in the South.

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The Malayalam film industry is leading a shift by favouring extended theatrical runs over early OTT releases. Unlike its Telugu and Tamil counterparts, Malayalam filmmakers don’t secure as many lucrative pre-release deals with streaming platforms. While OTT platforms are generous when acquiring rights for Tamil and Telugu films, they tend to be more selective with Malayalam films. As a result, starting this year, the Malayalam industry has returned to relying more heavily on theatrical revenues to recover investments, instead of banking on streaming deals.

Several Malayalam films this year, including Mammootty's Turbo, Manjummel Boys, Premalu, and Thalavan, have defied the trend of early OTT releases and garnered strong box office earnings.

It's safe to assume that ARM will follow the same path and prioritize theatres over streaming platforms. It also appears that the filmmakers didn’t secure a streaming partner before the film's release. With ARM performing well in theatres and facing little competition at the Kerala box office, a delay in its OTT release seems inevitable.

In Kerala, ARM has retained more than 250 screens in its third week and is on track to surpass the Rs 50 crore mark at the Kerala box office.

ARM is a period drama that marks the directorial debut of Jithin Lal. The film is a fantasy drama centred around a magical lamp made from the remains of a fallen comet. It also stars Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh, Surabhi Lakshmi, and Basil Joseph, among others, in lead roles. 

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