Raj B Shetty on Su From So OTT deal: Was offered 50% of final price despite theatrical success

Actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty says that even though he showed Su From So to platforms months before the theatrical release, no deal was finalised. That changed post the theatrical success, but...

Raj B Shetty on Su From So's OTT deal

Actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty’s superhit production venture Su From So was the first Kannada film to be acquired by JioHotstar, after the Hotstar and Jio Cinemas merger. That deal, though, happened only after the film became a mega success in theatres. Raj had tried to seal a deal prior to the theatrical release and showed the film to platforms well in advance, but was not able to crack any. About two weeks into the film’s theatrical run, by which time it was already a runaway hit, Raj was offered deal with half the amount he eventually got.

Raj B Shetty was ready to put Su From So out on YouTube for free; why?

“But then I told them that I have already made a lot of money. I will not insult Kannada cinema by agreeing to that amount. Tomorrow, they can turn around and quote this deal to other filmmakers, stating that they got a superhit film at that price range and that they would, therefore, not pay as much for another film. I said that I would rather put it on YouTube for free, because the OTT rights amount really did not matter anymore,” explained Raj, in conversation with Kannada Filmy Club, as part of the promotions of his new film, Rakkasapuradhol.

Also read: Raj B Shetty: The learnings from the failure of Toby ensured a success like Su From So

The challenge that Kannada cinema faces, as far as OTT deals go, is that the industry is not able to churn out even moderately successful films at regular intervals. And what platforms have done is that they introduced the pay-per-view model, which Kannada filmmakers are readily lining up for. “There are teams who claim to have made money in this format, but no one knows for sure. The problem is that platforms now hold off on outright purchase and wait till the teams agree for pay-per-view. Once we up our game in terms of quality, we can sit down and have conversations with the platforms about the terms,” says Raj.

Rakkasapuradhol, meanwhile, is a thriller in which Raj has played a cop for the first time in his career. The film by debutant Ravi Saranga has Raj’s character investigating a spate of murders, which the towns folk believe is the work of a demon, Kolli Devva. Is something supernatural at play or is there something else to this? That’s what the film is about. Released in theatres on February 6, the film has received fairly positive reviews. It will be available on Zee5 (via OTTplay Premium too) after its theatrical run.

Also read: Rakkasapuradhol movie review: Raj B Shetty’s crime thriller is a bumpy yet satisfactory ride

Rakkasapuradhol FAQs

Q. Where to watch Rakkasapuradhol?

A. Rakkasapuradhol released in theatres on February 6, 2026. After the theatrical run it will begin streaming on Zee5, via OTTplay Premium also. It is expected around March 6-7.

Q. What is Rakkasapuradhol about?

A. Rakkasapuradhol is a mystery thriller about a murder case, that the towns folk believe is the work of the Kolli Deva. Is there a supernatural element to this killing?

Share