45 on OTT: Arjun Janya says the climax would have been extraordinary if…

45 on OTT: Ahead of the streaming premiere of his directorial debut, Arjun Janya admits that some of the VFX output did not meet the standards he’d expected

Shivarajkumar in a poster of 45

One of the major complaints that audiences had about composer Arjun Janya’s debut directorial 45 was the VFX work. Given that roughly 40% of the film’s visuals were dependent on graphics, there was a lot of work to be done and Arjun had entrusted Canada-based Marz VFX for the same. Amid delays in completion of the work, a release date postponement and a business obligation to bring the film to theatres before the end of 2025, Arjun had to make do with the VFX output he got and present 45 to audiences.

What went wrong with the VFX of 45?

In a post-release interview with Filmibeat, the composer-turned-filmmaker admitted that some of the visuals did not meet the standards he’d expected. “This is the first Kannada film with this level of extensive graphics work. The last 20 minutes of the film, for instance, has a lot of de-aging, action. We actually had 7 extra minutes of shots with extraordinary elements, which we were not able to achieve on time. The visuals were not up to the mark, but if we had got them right, then the climax would have been extraordinary,” he said, adding that he incorporated only those visuals that he thought were satisfactory and edited out everything else.

Also read: 45 movie review: Shivarajkumar, Upendra and Raj B Shetty make merry in preachy tale of life and death

Arjun added that as a first-time filmmaker, he tried to give his best within the budgetary limitations and time constraints that he had. “I have noticed the complaints from audiences about the VFX quality and honestly, I don’t know what else I could have done,” said the composer. The film, meanwhile, has not had a great theatrical run, but had its satellite and digital deals in place. Arjun’s long association with Zee Network as judge on multiple reality shows paid off, and they took the post-theatrical rights. 45 is now headed to OTT, and will be on Zee5 (via OTTplay Premium also) on January 23, 2026.

Also read: 45 on OTT: Exploring why Arjun Janya’s debut directorial didn’t strike a chord with audiences

45, meanwhile, is Arjun’s exploration of the elements of the Garuda Purana, based on all the rituals he performed following the untimely demise of his brother during the Covid-19 pandemic. The film stars Shivarajkumar, Upendra and Raj B Shetty in the lead.

45 the movie FAQs

Q. Where to watch 45 the movie?

A. Kannada music composer Arjun Janya's directorial debut released in theatres on December 25, 2025 and is still running in a limited number of movie halls. It is, however, OTT bound, with Zee5 set to bring it to audiences on January 23, 2026. It will be available via OTTplay Premium also.

Q. What is the inspiration behind Arjun Janya's directorial debut, 45?

A. Arjun Janya lost his brother during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is the inspiration behind the story of 45. According to reports, the film revolves around the 45 days after a person's death, which, as per Sanatana Dharma, is when it is decided if the soul moves to the after life or gets reborn.

Share