Aachar & Co on OTT: 'An entertaining and nostalgia-driven film’, say audiences
Sindhu Srinivasa Murthy’s film on Bengaluru of the 60s had a successful 25-day run in theatres and is now available to stream
Aug 22, 2023
A still from the film
As a 90s born actor-filmmaker, Sindhu Srinivasa Murthy had no reference of what life in Bengaluru would have been three decades earlier apart from what she had heard from her parents and grandparents. The era, though, fascinated her. It was a time when women began to venture out of the household and aim not only for higher education but employment too. She then co-wrote a script with standup comedian Kanan Gill, of which she took a tiny portion and shot a six-minute promo of sorts . This, she presented to (late) Puneeth Rajkumar, who was, at the time, producing the film French Biriyani, in which she had a role. Puneeth liked what he saw, but asked his wife, Ashwini, to check out the screenplay . She loved what she read, as it reminded her of her granny’s generation and greenlit the project.
The film, Aachar & Co, however, went on floors only much later and released in theatres on July 28, at a time when Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare was on a box office rampage. Interestingly enough, Aachar & Co struck a chord with audiences and had a decent outing, given the limited release it had. Like all other PRK Productions ventures, Aachar & Co was also sold too Amazon Prime Video for its post-theatrical streaming rights and the film has now dropped on the platform. There’s been an outpouring of love for the film ever since it became available on the streamer at midnight (August 22).
Read our review: Aachar & Co review: Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy’s tale of 60s Bengaluru is simple, but doesn’t strike a chord
Comments ranged from “best family entertainer of the year”, to “a trip down nostalgia”, “a fun-filled emotional drama” and more, as audiences lapped up the film, which comes as a welcome relief following the drought of Kannada content on streaming platforms over the last several months. Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare, which was also supposed to be on OTT this week, has been pushed ahead, as the makers are releasing the film in theatres in a Telugu version instead, which bodes well for Aachar & Co, as the only new Kannada film available to stream.
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