The film ‘Kalki 2898 AD,’ starring Prabhas and directed by Nag Ashwin, created a sensation at the box office, garnering over Rs. 1200 crores. Many were eagerly awaiting its OTT release. On Thursday (August 22), ‘Kalki’ became available for streaming on two platforms. It was expected to dominate OTT as well, but unexpectedly, it faced stiff competition from ‘Rayaan.’ This surprising turn of events has shocked Prabhas’s fans.
Rayaan Outshines Kalki!
The film ‘Rayaan,’ directed and led by Tamil star Dhanush, was released in theaters on July 26 and achieved significant success, earning over Rs. 150 crores, marking it as the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year. Recently, it debuted on Amazon Prime. Just a day before, ‘Kalki’ was also released on Amazon in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. It was anticipated that ‘Rayaan’ views might decrease due to ‘Kalki’s impact. However, surprisingly, ‘Rayaan’ excelled with even higher views than ‘Kalki,’ trending at number one nationally, pushing ‘Kalki’ to the second spot.
Is This Why Rayaan Dominated?
There seems to be a strong reason why ‘Rayaan’ received more admiration on OTT than ‘Kalki.’ Many had already watched ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ in theaters, and some even repeatedly. In contrast, ‘Rayaan,’ despite its success and buzz as a routine revenge drama, was not heavily promoted for big-screen viewings, leading many cinema lovers to hold off watching it until its OTT release. As expected, once ‘Rayaan’ hit the streaming service, everyone rushed to watch it first. Given that many had already seen ‘Kalki,’ OTT enthusiasts were more eager to watch ‘Rayaan’ first, leading to its prominent streaming success.
Big Salute to Dhanush’s Direction!
The film ‘Rayaan,’ which rained cash in theaters, is achieving similar success on OTT. The movie contains many elements that captivate audiences, notably Dhanush’s directorial expertise. The narrative, screenplay, and performances by Dhanush, Sundeep, S.J. Suryah, and Dushara Vijayan are particularly engaging. Dhanush’s portrayal in the fight sequences showcased his formidable presence, setting the action apart from typical films with its realistic feel. The drama and emotions are well crafted, keeping the audience engaged without any dull moments, earning Dhanush widespread acclaim.
Producer Surprises Dhanush
Prominent producer Kalanithi Maran produced ‘Rayaan,’ under Dhanush’s direction and lead role. Following the film’s super success, the producer uniquely thanked Dhanush by presenting two cheques (reflecting his dual roles as director and hero), which went viral on the internet. However, the exact amount on the cheques remains undisclosed, leading netizens to speculate and comment their guesses.
