PremiumBro on OTT: Mired in controversy in its theatrical run, will Pawan Kalyan’s film get its due now?
The Sai Dharam Tej, Pawan Kalyan starrer, directed by Samuthirakani, is arriving on a leading streamer this Friday
Pawan Kalyan and Sai Dharam Tej
Last Updated: 05.37 PM, Aug 22, 2023
Vinodhaya Sitham, starring Samuthirakani, Thambi Ramaiah, landed directly on ZEE5 two years ago and received immense critical acclaim. Director Trivikram was one among the many to have liked Samuthirakani’s film and immediately called him for a meeting. The interaction provided a new lease of life to the actor-director’s career, paving the way for the film’s Telugu remake.
The presence of Pawan Kalyan, Sai Dharam Tej in the remake, titled Bro, gave a new dimension to the original. For many months, Trivikram and Samuthirakani reimagined Vinodhaya Sitham with a new screenplay, without losing the essence of the story. Pawan Kalyan, while liking the adaptation, allocated only 21 days for its shoot but Samuthirakani responded to the challenge with assurance.
The shoot of Bro was wrapped up in record time but many Pawan Kalyan fans were unhappy that the star gave his nod to a remake of a film that was out on OTT a few years ago. Blame it on the insipid album or the hiccups in the promotional strategy, Bro (despite an impressive trailer) struggled to gain buzz and had an above-average run at the ticket window.
During its theatrical run, Bro faced several issues with an AP political leader claiming that a character in the film (played by Prudhvi Raj) took an indirect dig at him. A set of fans were unhappy with Trivikram’s dialogues too. Yet, one can’t ignore Samuthirakani’s sincere efforts in understanding the pulse of Pawan Kalyan fans and his target audiences with his effective tweaks.
Pawan Kalyan gave it everything to the film, but his stardom created unnecessary baggage for the filmmaker too. The average fan came to the theatres hoping for mass-pleasing elements in Bro, which wasn’t a regular commercial film by Pawan Kalyan’s standards. The OTT premiere on Netflix on August 25 should help audiences look at it in a new light and give the movie the respect it deserves.