PremiumHostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare on OTT: Here’s why Nithin Krishnamurthy’s directorial debut is a must-watch
Shortly after completing a very successful 50-day run at the box office, the campus comedy is headed for its OTT premiere
Last Updated: 01.47 PM, Sep 12, 2023
When actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty decided to throw the might of his banner Paramvah Studios behind a small-time Kannada film, he had said that it had renewed his faith in the future of Sandalwood and that it was in safe hands. The film in question was Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare, the directorial debut of Nithin Krishnamurthy, who had marketed it as one of the worst films ever made. This innovative marketing strategy, though, which also included a mock kidnapping of composer Ajaneesh Lokanath, among others. After the lacklustre first half that Kannada cinema had in 2023, audiences were intrigued by this film and when it released in theatres, it took the box office by storm.
The film, which recently completed 50 days at the box office and released in Telugu too, is now set for its OTT premiere. Zee5 Kannada will make Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare available from September 15 onward. It was earlier rumoured to drop on the platform by the end of August, but then the makers were prepping for the Telugu version’s release and got this plan pushed ahead. With the film set to start streaming on Friday, here’s looking at what made it such a runway hit after all.
Laugh riot
When the first reviews of Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare came on social media, everyone, without fail, said that Nithin’s film was a start-to-finish laugh riot. The film’s biggest strength was the dialogues, which stacked punchline upon punchline, barely allowing audiences to take a breath before breaking into peals of laughter again. This refreshing approach worked with audiences, even though the story and screenplay were far from perfect.
The special cameos
Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare was in the news when actress Ramya filed an injunction over its theatrical release, citing that sequences of her cameo were not used as per how it was agreed upon with her. While her case did not hold ground, Ramya’s cameo became much talked about. The film also featured Rishab Shetty, Diganth and Pawan Kumar in pivotal guest roles.
The cinematography
Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare plays out as a 'meta' film which is rendered (almost) completely in POV style, meaning that Arvind Kashyap and his camera are part of the cast. And with the narrative inherently unrestrained and chaotic, the camera department was on its toes at all times. Also, given that the film had to look like it was being made by one of the students, who is an amateur filmmaker, it could not look too perfect. The cinematography of Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare was widely appreciated.
Nostalgia of hostel life
The entire narrative of Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare plays out in an all-boys hostel and the sequences and dialogues in the film set many audiences on nostalgia trips. “If you have ever lived in a hostel, it will bring back a lot of memories,” was a common refrain.