Kabzaa pre-release business: Upendra-Sudeep starrer is likely to cross Rs 100 crore

The upcoming big-budget Kannada movie Kabzaa has reportedly is fast nearing the coveted Rs 100 crore mark even before its release. Starring Upendra and Sudeep in the lead roles, the film is expected to be the next big pan-India hit from the Kannada film industry. And it's said that the sale of the film rights has already helped the investors to recover the production costs. 

The buzz is that the film has already earned over Rs 65 crore in pre-release business deals. And before its release in cinemas on March 17, the film's non-theatrical revenue is expected to cross the 100 crore mark. If that happens, Kabzaa will set a new non-KGF franchise record in Kannada cinema. Director Prashanth Neel's blockbuster two-part crime drama, starring Yash, was the biggest earner in the history of Kannada cinema. The pre-release of KGF 2, which was released in cinemas last year, was pegged at over Rs 200 crore. 

Kabzaa is mounted on a massive scale by director R Chandru. The film is set against the backdrop of British India and the rise of gangster culture in independent India. The film's look and feel are seemingly indebted to the KGF series. The filmmakers, however, feel proud that Kabzaa is being compared with KGF. 

The trailer of Kabzaa released earlier this month gave us a glimpse of the film's largeness. Even though the trailer offered little detail about the film's main plot, it was cut to impress the audience with the show of its scale. 

Besides Upendra and Sudeep, the film also stars Shivarajkumar. It's said that the Mufti star has played a key cameo role. 

Kabzaa will release across the country in multiple languages next week.