Kabzaa on OTT: A look at why Upendra-Sudeep starrer failed at box office

The latest Kannada movie Kabzaa is all set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, less than 30 days after its initial theatrical release. Starring Upendra in the lead role, the movie was marketed as the "next big thing from the Kannada film industry." 

After decades of punching below its weight, the Kannada film industry exploded into the national consciousness in 2022, thanks to KGF: Chapter 2. Written and directed by Prashanth Neel, the movie starred Yash in the lead role. While KGF: Chapter 1 became a hit at the box office in 2018, KGF 2 exceeded expectations by raking on over Rs 1200 crore from its worldwide ticket sales. And the success of KGF 2 was followed by Kantara. 

Also Read: Honest Review: Kabzaa — Upendra starrer is a copy of a copy of a copy of KGF

Made on a small budget, the period drama was written and directed by Rishab Shetty. He also essayed the lead role in it. The movie released in Karnataka, powered by terrific word-of-mouth, reached every corner of the country and grossed over Rs 400 crore in theatrical revenue. It was completely unexpected. 

And it created a conducive environment for the release of Kabzaa, as movie-buffs across the country were closely watching the movies made in Kannada cinema. However, the movie suffered a setback following the release of its teaser. It was clear as a day, that Kabzaa was deeply influenced by the KGF series. The movie generously borrowed many elements from the world of KGF, including its visual style. And the physiological effect of this knowledge undercut the enthusiasm about Kabzaa. The trailer further straightened the assumptions that Kabzaa was a carbon copy of KGF. 

Also Read: Opinion | Kabzaa ending — a new low for storytelling, a high point for fans (spoiler-free)

And the murmurs grew stronger close to the release of the movie forcing the cast and crew to become defensive about their work. Upendra, unfazed by all the criticism, continued to aggressively promote the movie across the country. He visited all the major cities and gave interviews to all publications to secure a big opening for the movie. 

Despite his best efforts, Kabzaa opened to an underwhelming response. The reviews were also unfavourable. The movie didn't meet the expectations at the box office. However, director R Chandru, who is also a producer of the movie, has maintained that Kabzaa was a commercial success. And he has promised that Kabzaa 2 will be a "bigger and better" movie. 

Besides Upendra, Kabzaa also stars Sudeep and Shriya Saran in the lead roles. Kannada star Shivarajkumar made a cameo appearance in the movie. He is expected to have a significant role in part two.