Korean Kanakaraju OTT release date: When and where to watch Varun Tej, Ritika Nayak, Satya's horror comedy

Korean Kanakaraju OTT release date: Merlapaka Gandhi's Varun Tej-starrer was released in theatres on August 7 to mixed reviews.

Korean Kanakaraju OTT release date: Merlapaka Gandhi’s horror comedy film, Korean Kanakaraju, was released in theatres on August 7 to mixed reviews. The film starring Varun Tej, Ritika Nayak, and Satya in lead roles is set for a digital release soon. Know when and where to stream the film.

Korean Kanakaraju OTT release date: Varun Tej plays the lead in the Merlapaka Gandhi film.

When and where to watch Korean Kanakaraju on OTT

Korean Kanakaraju will stream on Netflix from September 4 in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi. Making the announcement, the OTT platform wrote, “Ee sari mana dhandha oorlo kaadhu, Korea lo (This time, our business isn't in the village, it's in Korea). Watch Korean Kanakaraju on Netflix, out 4 September, in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.” The poster shows Varun’s titular character holding a jikdo (sword)as he’s surrounded by Asian gangsters.

About Korean Kanakaraju

Korean Kanakaraju is a horror comedy directed by Merlapaka Gandhi and produced by Sai Babu Jagarlamudi and Y Rajeev Reddy under First Frame Entertainments and UV Creations. The film opened to mixed reviews, with audiences praising Varun and Satya’s comic timing. However, it was criticised for its weak story and the second half that failed to make a mark. According to the trade website Sacnilk, it collected ₹23.65 crore net in India and ₹32.76 crore worldwide. It was made on an estimated budget of ₹40 crore.

Varun plays the titular Kanakaraju, a short-tempered man from a Rayalaseema village who leads an ordinary life. Everything changes when he’s possessed by something in a mysterious dragon-shaped vase. His eyes turn blue, he gains extraordinary powers, and is transported to South Korea whenever the country is mentioned. He soon finds himself in trouble with the Korean mafia and law enforcement. Ritika plays Chaitra in the film while Satya plays Kishtappa. The film portrays a comedic clash between Korean and Rayalaseema cultures.

Controversy around parody scene

When Korean Kanakaraju was released, controversy arose around a parody scene. A scene featuring the late actor-politician Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao from Yuga Purushudu (1978) had become meme material in recent years. Satya recreates the scene and dialogue from the film, leading to criticism that the film’s team is ‘insulting’ NTR. It was also questioned why the meme resurfaced right before the film’s release, with the internet chalking it down to PR. Varun later clarified that the scene was shot last year as a lighthearted comedy and that they meant no disrespect. It remains to be seen how the film is received upon its OTT release.