45 the movie: Here’s how Arjun Janya is avoiding a clash with Mark on December 25

45 is composer Arjun Janya’s directorial debut and releases on December25, the same day as Kiccha Sudeep’s Mark. Arjun has ensured that audiences are not left confused about which to watch first

Shivarajkumar in a poster of 45

Ever since it became clear that two Kannada films would close out 2025 – Arjun Janya’s directorial debut 45 and Kiccha Sudeep’s Mark – the talk of the town was the clash at the box office. Both Arjun and Sudeep have tried to downplay this, stating that there are enough screens in the state to accommodate the two films without stepping on each other’s toes. In fact, Arjun has said that if he’d known before announcing the release date of his film that Sudeep was also heading to theatres, he would not have gone ahead with the clash.

45 gets paid premieres on December 24, no EMS on the 25th

And now, with both films poised for release on December 25, Arjun and his team have devised a way to avoid a clash, so to speak. 45 will begin its box office journey with paid premieres on the evening of December 24, starting at 7.30 pm. Bookings for the premieres will begin on December 21. Interestingly, thereafter, the actual release on the 25th will begin with 10.30 am shows only. This will ensure that Sudeep’s Mark also gets one show without competition given that it is hitting theatres with 6 am early morning shows (EMS).

At the pre-release event of 45, Suprith of KVN Productions, who is distributing the film in Karnataka, added that he was targeting 175-180 screens in the state. Although planned as a pan-India release, only the Kannada version will be out on December 25. The Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi dubbed versions come out a week later on January 1, 2026. The film’s satellite and digital rights have been picked up by Zee Network, with a 4-week window expected for the OTT release.

Also read: Arjun Janya wrote the beginning and end of 45 while heading for his brother’s asthi visarjan

Arjun’s film has cinematography by Satya Hegde, while the cast includes Shivarajkumar, Upendra, Raj B Shetty, Kousthubha Mani, Sudharani, Pramod Shetty, Jaffer Sadiq and Rajendra. The film is said to be a fantasy based on the Sanatana Dharma tenet about life after death, the 45 days after a person’s demise, which determines the soul’s progression to the afterlife or to be reborn.

45 the movie FAQs

Q. What happened to Arjun Janya?

A. Kannada music composer Arjun Janya suffered a massive heart attack during the Covid-19 pandemic, but has since made a remarkable recovery.

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