Junior out on OTT: Telugu version of Kireeti Reddy’s debut film streaming on two platforms now

When the Kannada-Telugu bilingual Junior ended its theatrical run after only 2-3 weeks in theatres, there was widespread speculation that the film had an early OTT release lined up. Eventually, though, the film, led by debutant Kireeti Reddy was made available to stream well after the two-month mark. As of September 30, Junior has made it to OTT, albeit on multiple platforms. The Telugu version can be accessed on aha Telugu and Amazon Prime Video, both of which are available with an OTTplay Premium subscription.

Junior was better received by Telugu audiences

Junior was directed by Radhakrishna Reddy, whose claim to fame was the Kannada film Mayabazar 2016, produced by the late Puneeth Rajkumar. The film was launched in Bengaluru in 2022 as a Kannada-Telugu bilingual, and even though there was a mix of artistes from both industries, the perception was that it was being tailored for Telugu audiences. And that is exactly the feedback that came when the film hit theatres on July 18.

While the Kannada version was washed out in no time, the Telugu one fared a lot better, with critics and audiences reckoning that Kireeti showed much promise with his acting, dance and fight skills. He was paired with Sreeleela in the film, while V Ravichandran played his father. When Junior was announced, it was meant to be Genelia Deshmukh’s return vehicle, but then, the making was delayed after Kireeti sustained an injury that kept him out of action for a lengthy period of time. Eventually, Sitaare Zameen Par became her comeback film.

Also read: Junior movie review: Kireeti Reddy makes quite the impression in film that’s not the most original 

Junior had music by Devi Sri Prasad and features the viral dance number Viral Vayyari, among others. Also on the cast of the film are Achyuth Kumar, Sudharani, Kiran Srinivas, Rao Ramesh, Satya, Harsha Chemudu, Kuri Pratap, among others.

FAQs

Q. Who is Kireeti Reddy?

A. Kireeti Reddy is the son of Ballari-based politician and mining baron, Gaali Janardhan Reddy.

Q. Is Junior a hit?

A. Junior is said to have been made at a budget of Rs 25 crore, with trackers estimating that it made around Rs 7.65 cr in theatrical revenue from the Telugu version and around Rs 2.2 cr from Kannada. While the Telugu-Kannada bilingual was not a box office success, Kireeti received praise for his efforts in the film.