Banaras on OTT: Zaid Khan-Sonal Monteiro led sci-fi romantic drama gets streaming partner

Director Jayathirtha’s film, which was Zaid Khan’s launchpad, will begin streaming a year after its theatrical outing

Zaid Khan will make his film debut with the Jayathirtha directorial

Banaras, which was Bellbottom and Olave Mandara maker Jayathirtha’s latest, introduced Zaid Khan, the son of politico Zameer Ahmed Khan, to Kannada cinema. Released as a pan-India film with multiple language versions, Banaras did not have the greatest box office outing, despite a fairly decent storyline and execution. Subsequently, the film was expected to be on OTT shortly thereafter, but for months there was no news and then it suddenly came on television. In April this year, the film premiered on Zee Kannada, which gave rise to rumours that it will then come to Zee5 Kannada, but it’s been 7 months since and there’s no word.

When OTTplay spoke to the film’s leading lady Sonal Monteiro recently, she told us that the team had been in discussion with other platforms, which caused the delay and that they have now struck a deal with Zee Network. The film, she says, should be available sometime in December, with a date still being worked out.

Banaras movie review: Jayathirtha's promising time loop saga is meandering, indecisive

Banaras had Zaid in the role of Siddharth, a young college student, whose attempt to prank collegemate Dhani (Sonal Monteiro) goes horribly wrong, following which she is forced to leave town and find a home in Banaras. Overwhelmed with guilt at what he’d done, Siddharth then sets out to find Dhani and seek forgiveness. However, during this pursuit, Siddharth has a life-changing experience that has him then inadvertently shuffling back and forth in time. Whether Siddharth can break the spell and figure out what his heart truly desires forms the crux of the movie, which was shot extensively across spectacular locations in Banaras. Produced by Tilakraj Ballal under the banner of NK Productions, Banaras also has Sujay Shastry, Devaraj, Achyuth Kumar, Sapna Raj and Barkath Ali, among others, on its cast.

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