Daaku Maharaaj on OTT: Balakrishna's film finds more love in second week

Daaku Maharaaj, Balakrishna’s latest action-packed entertainer, hit the big screens on January 12, 2025, as a Sankranthi special. Thanks to the festive season, the film performed exceptionally well at the box office, collecting over Rs 84 crore net in its theatrical run. However, its OTT release was strategically delayed. Producer Naga Vamsi had an agreement with Netflix ensuring that the film would not be released on streaming platforms for at least 40 days post its theatrical debut.

Daaku Maharaaj tops Netflix charts

Finally, Daaku Maharaaj made its digital premiere on February 21, 2025, but the initial buzz for the OTT release was relatively low. Traditionally, Balakrishna’s films do not perform well on digital platforms as his fans prefer watching his high-energy action sequences on the big screen. However, this time, things took an unexpected turn.

Defying all expectations, Daaku Maharaaj topped the Netflix charts for a week straight after its release. A major milestone was achieved when the film garnered a whopping 2.5 million views in its first week. As word-of-mouth spread and the film started trending in Netflix’s global charts, viewership surged to 2.8 million in the second week—a record-breaking feat for a Balakrishna starrer.

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Daaku Maharaaj clocks solid views on Netflix

The film’s makers are ecstatic about its digital success, with producer Naga Vamsi stating that Balakrishna’s global popularity has doubled in recent years. The OTT deal also turned out to be highly profitable, as a significant portion of the film’s budget was recovered even before its theatrical release.

Adding to the hype was Urvashi Rautela, who played a crucial role in keeping the film in the news. A controversy erupted when the makers excluded her from the OTT release poster, sparking discussions online. This unintended publicity only fueled more interest in the film.

Directed by Bobby Kolli, Daaku Maharaaj is his second consecutive hit after Waltair Veerayya. The film also stars Pragya Jaiswal and Chandini Chowdary in key roles.

With the North Indian market for Balakrishna’s films expanding, Daaku Maharaaj has already crossed 6 million views on Netflix. Meanwhile, Balakrishna is currently busy shooting for Akhanda 2 under Boyapati Sreenu’s direction.

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