Darling Krishna’s Brat to not get simultaneous pan-India release; here’s why

When Kannada filmmaker Shashank announced his next directorial, Brat, with Darling Krishna in the lead, it was meant to be a pan-India release. But as the film prepares for its October 31 theatrical outing, Shashank confirms that only the Kannada version will be out on Friday. “A simultaneous release was never the plan. Yes, we had decided to make it a pan-India film based on the content, because cricket and associated better is a subject everyone in the country can relate to. We knew that we’d have to dub the film in 5 languages for OTT eventually. The primary focus was to release the film first in Kannada,” he says, speaking to Kairam Vaashi.

Shashank: Krishna and I are unknown in the rest of India

The filmmaker adds that for a simultaneous release, both Krishna and he would have to be popular names in those markets. “For audiences outside of Karnataka, Krishna and I are unknown in the rest of India. Given this situation, the only other option is to pump in a lot of money for promotions and release in those markets. Even if we were to do that, there is no guarantee that it will work out. The better route is to follow the Kantara (2022) model,” says Shashank. Rishab Shetty’s film was only meant to be a rooted tale told for Kannada audiences only, but then it took on a life of its own and had to be dubbed quickly for release in other languages.

Shashank says that one of the advantages of social media is that if there is a good film in any language, news about it will percolate to viewers across the globe within a few days. If Brat clicks, Shashank is confident that without spending too much money there will be word-of-mouth publicity in the rest of the country. “If we release the film in other centres then, my expenditure on promotions will drop drastically. Even if I do only basic publicity, my film will reach audiences. This has been our strategy from the word go,” he adds.

Also read: Brat director Shashank: The film’s target audience is the youth, but it has a universal appeal 

Brat, according to the filmmaker, is a youth-oriented film that explores the perils of online betting during cricket games. The protagonist, played by Krishna, takes to betting to make a quick buck, much to the dismay of his police man father. The film also stars Manisha Kandkur, for whom it is a home production, as well as Manasi Sudhir, Achyuth Kumar, Ramesh Indira and Dragon Manju, among others.

FAQs

Q. Who is in the Kannada film Brat?

A. Brat, directed by Shashank, has Darling Krishna in the lead, along with Manisha Kandkur, Ramesh Indira and Dragon Manju.

Q. Where can one see Brat?

A. Brat will release in theatres on October 31, 2025.