PremiumHostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare on OTT: Is THIS when the fun tale of the hostel boys will be available to stream?
Nithin Krishnamurthy’s debut directorial was a runaway hit in its Kannada original version, following which, it was dubbed in Telugu, which pushed the OTT debut ahead
Last Updated: 08.36 PM, Sep 05, 2023
When the Kannada film Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare was gearing up for release, there was a certain buzz around it, given that the team had done a bunch of innovative promotional activities that had grabbed eyeballs. Everyone knew that there was something special about the film. But that was no guarantee that audiences would come to theatres – the Kannada industry was suffering one of its worst slumps in a while, with no film able to bring footfalls into theatres in the first six months of the year.
As interesting as Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare seemed to be, it was up against tough competition. This was the week of not one, but two Hollywood biggies – Oppenheimer and Barbie – and yet, debutant Nithin Krishnamurthy’s managed to stand tall. Hours after fighting and overcoming an injunction served by actress Ramya, the film was in theatres and got a rousing reception.
Read our review: Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare review: Self-aware, superbly inventive, but not in its entirety
Presented by Rakshit Shetty, Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare turned out to a runaway hit and not only made money, but also piqued interest in audiences across the border, following which the team began work on bringing out a Telugu dubbed version. Around the same time, news came that the Kannada original would wind up its theatrical run and head to OTT, what with Zee Network being the digital and satellite partner. August 25 was first heard as the theatrical release date, which seemed strange, as the Telugu version was releasing in theatres on that day.
Then came September 1 as the OTT release, which was also pushed ahead, to allow the film’s Telugu version some breathing space in theatres. According to the latest from Zee 5, Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare is on the programme roster for September, with the 15th now being the D-Day. It remains to be seen if the makers can convince the network to give them more time in theatres, as the film is still drawing crowds.