Bagheera on OTT: Where to stream Sriimurali's superhero movie after its theatrical run
With high expectations and an ambitious production scale, Sriimurali's Bagheera arrived in theatres just in time for Deepavali celebrations.
Bagheera poster
The latest Kannada movie Bagheera, starring Sriimurali in the lead, was released on Thursday, coinciding with the Deepavali celebrations. Expectations are high, both in terms of box office performance and critical acclaim.
According to reports, the streaming rights for Bagheera have been acquired by Netflix. If confirmed, Bagheera could become the first Kannada movie to partner with the streaming giant before its theatrical release. While Netflix has licensed select Kannada films in the past, they have mostly been lower-budget, independent productions, leaving its Kannada catalogue limited.
Streaming giants are generally hesitant to invest in mainstream Kannada cinema ahead of theatrical releases. There has been increasing criticism over their reluctance to invest in Kannada movies at the same level as Tamil and Telugu films. However, the reported partnership between Netflix and Bagheera’s producers is a promising development.
Based on industry trends, most new movies acquired by Netflix make their streaming debut within four weeks of theatrical release. Will Bagheera follow suit? That remains to be seen.
Despite a slightly underwhelming opening considering its large production budget and scale, Bagheera is receiving favorable reviews and positive word-of-mouth on social media. This momentum is expected to grow over the extended long weekend, benefiting from both Deepavali and Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations.
The story of Bagheera was written by filmmaker Prashanth Neel, while Dr. Suri handled the screenplay and direction. The film follows a high-ranking cop who becomes a vigilante to fight crime on his own terms, with a promise of high-octane action and visual spectacle.
Bagheera also stars Prashanth Neel, Prakash Raj, Rangayana Raghu, and Achyuth Kumar, among others.