Mr Bachchan OTT release: Ravi Teja, Bhagyashri Borse film streaming online less than a month after theatrical release
Mr Bachchan OTT release: Harish Shankar's Telugu remake of the Hindi film Raid was released on Netflix on September 12 after a theatrical release on August 15.
Harish Shankar’s Ravi Teja, Bhagyashri Borse-starrer Mr Bachchan arrived on OTT less than a month after its theatrical release. The film, which was released in theatres on August 15, is streaming on Netflix as of September 12. (Also Read: Puri Jagannadh's Double iSmart arrives on OTT just 21 days after release with no fanfare)
Mr Bachchan OTT release
Much like Double iSmart, which was also released on August 15 and arrived on Prime Video within 21 days of its release, Mr Bachchan was released on Netflix with no fanfare. Neither the film’s cast and crew nor the Netflix team promoted the film’s release on the streaming platform. The film was technically released on OTT after a 4-week theatrical run, which is considered a decent theatrical window before digital releases.
Lukewarm response to Raid remake
Mr Bachchan is a remake of the 2018 Hindi film Raid. While Harish is known for giving a commercial twist to critically acclaimed films, his one backfired with few takers. According to Sacnilk.com, the film made ₹14.19 crore net at the box office worldwide in its theatrical run. After receiving negative feedback, the film was even trimmed by 13 minutes but it did not help collections.
Even before the film was released, the age difference between the film’s leads - Ravi and Bhagyashri - was criticised. While Harish defended it in interviews, saying he doesn’t see what the ‘big deal’ is, the choreography of some songs was also called out for objectifying the female lead. After its release, the film received lukewarm reviews from critics and audience alike, with many pointing out bad dialogues or scenes in the film.
A source told Hindustan Times that given the debacle at the box office, Ravi returned ₹4 crore, and Harish returned ₹2 crore of his remuneration to People Media Factory, the film's producers.
About Mr Bachchan
The film tells the story of an honest Income Tax officer who faces off against a powerful politician, played by Jagapathi Babu. While the original was a massive success, the remake’s commercial treatment was panned by the critics and audience. Ravi played Indukuri Anand aka Mr Bachchan in the film while Bhagyashri played his love interest, Jikki, and Jagapathi Babu is the antagonist, an MP called Mutyam Jaggaiah.