45 locks OTT partner: Here’s where Shivarajkumar, Upendra and Raj B Shetty’s film will stream after theatrical outing

It’s been a while since a Kannada film has had the privilege of hitting theatres with a satellite and digital deal firmly in hand. Hemanth M Rao’s production Agnyathavasi and Rishab Shetty’s Kantara Chapter 1 were the only ones so far this year. For a while, the norm has been that film’s should have a theatrical release first and based on the box office performance and the feedback from critics and audiences, a decision is taken about the kind of deal that can be afforded. Even a successful film like Su From So took a while to finalize a platform, while the much-hyped Ekka, which underperformed in theatres, made it to streaming after 5 months only.

Debutant filmmaker Arjun Janya does not have to worry on that front. His film 45, which releases in theatres on December 25, has been picked up by a network already. Arjun has been a judge for a popular music reality show for years and a dance show too, so really, no prizes for guessing where 45 is headed after its theatrical run. All the new posters of 45 prominently feature Zee Kannada and Zee5 on it, so it goes without saying that these are the TV and OTT destinations.

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

The finer details of the deal will be available later and it remains to be seen if the film will be on streaming within 30 days, as has been seen with popular titles, including, Kantara Chapter 1. The film is releasing in theatres in 5 languages – Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, with the trailer set to drop on December 15 at 8.01 online. There is an on-ground event for the same, which is being live streamed via satellite to one movie hall each in 7 different districts to allow fans to see the visuals on a big screen.

Also read: Arjun Janya on the inspiration behind 45: I wrote it during the pandemic when…

Starring Shivarajkumar, Upendra, Raj B Shetty and Kousthubha Mani, 45 is a film that Arjun wrote after he lost his brother during the pandemic and suffered a major health scare himself. The buzz is that the film explores the Sanatana Dharma tenet of what happens to a human soul in the 45 days after it leaves a body. Is it headed to an afterlife or will it be reborn? Raj’s soul is at the centre of this tale, with Shivarajkumar trying to save it, while Upendra is not. Who will win?

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.