Dulquer’s Kurup is ‘bigger than what OTTs pay for original Malayalam content’

Since the start of the second wave of Covid-19 and consequent shutdown of theatres again, filmmakers across industries have been looking at direct-to-OTT releases for their movies. Of late, rumours have been doing rounds that Dulquer Salmaan’s much-anticipated Kurup is also heading in that direction. However, the makers told OTTPlay that this was not the case.

A source from the production team of the Srinath Rajendran directorial, which is also co-produced by Dulquer, told us that they had contemplated the possibility of a direct-to-OTT release, but have decided against it. “We wish, but the movie is bigger than what the OTT players usually pay for original Malayalam content,” says the source, when asked if discussions are going on for Kurup’s OTT release.

The makers were looking to release the film in theatres by the end of May, but the surge in cases has prompted them to defer the plan. “We will wait for the theatres (to reopen). Hope the government will support the industry,” adds the source.

The film, which is based on the infamous fugitive Sukumara Kurup, is touted to be the biggest project in Dulquer’s career and is reportedly made on a budget of Rs 35 crore. The movie was shot in Kerala, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Mangalore, Mysuru and Dubai over a period of 105 days, and the plan is to release it in five languages – Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

Apart from Dulquer, the film also has Indrajith Sukumaran, Sobhitha Dhulipala, Shine Tom Chacko, Sunny Wayne and Surabhi Lakshmi.