PremiumThe latest Kannada OTT releases on Netflix, Prime, Zee 5, Disney+Hotstar, JioCinema, SunNXT and others in 2023
Raj B Shetty's Toby managed to get a streaming partner several months after its theatricla release
Last Updated: 06.49 PM, Dec 27, 2023
Gone are the days of Kannada films, at least star-driven ones, being able to recover much of their investment through pre-release post-theatrical rights sales. This includes TV, digital, audio and dubbing rights among others, with a major chunk coming from the OTT partner. For a while now, streamers have stopped outright sales of films pre-release and insist on a theatrical outing, no matter how small. Then, based on the evaluation of critics ratings, and the film's performance at the box office, a deal is struck. The buzz in industry circles is that several big budget Kannada films are delayed because the teams have not been able to crack the post-theatrical business deals.
TOBY
Raj B Shetty plays the title character, a speech-impaired man, in this revenge saga involving a poignant father-daughter relationship. Directed by Raj's long-time associate, Basil AL Chalakkal, Toby also stars Raj Deepak Shetty, Samyukta Hornad, Chaithra J Achar, and Gopalkrishna Deshpande, among others.
Streaming on: Sony LIV from December 22
TAGARU PALYA
Produced by Daali Dhananjaya, Tagaru Palya is the directorial debut of Umesh Krupa, who presented a rooted story about a tradition in rural areas. The film revolves Pandappa's (Rangayana Raghu) vow to sacrifice an animal to the deity if he manages to find a suitable groom for his daughter. But then the sacrificial animal refuses to give consent.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
BAANDADARIYALLI
Director Preetham Gubbi and Golden Star Ganesh reunited for a film that the team described as not a love story but a story about love called Baandariyalli, which opened in theatres to lukewarm response. The film also stars Rukmini Vasanth, Rangayana Raghu and Reeshma Nanaiah in pivotal roles.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from November 10, 2023
RUDRI
Pavana Gowda plays the title character Rudri, in this tale of abuse and revenge. The film, which has done the festival rounds, is skipping the theatrical route and coming directly to OTT.
Streaming on: Namma Flix from November 10, 2023
TATSAMA TADBHAVA
Meghana Raj Sarja's comeback film, after the brief break she took when she lost the love of her life, Chiranjeevi Sarja nd then prepared to welcome their firstborn, Raayan Raj Sarja, released in theatres in September. A psychological thriller, the film follows the investigation into the disappearance of Meghana's character Arika's husband, Sanjay. Prajwal Devaraj plays the investigation officer looking into the circumstances behind this missing case, which soon becomes a murder investigation. Meghana and Prajwal made the film immensely watchable.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from October 20
NAM NANI MADUVE PRASANGA
Actor-director Hemanth Hegde's comedy revolves around the difficulty that young men in the villages of Karnataka, who are engaged in agriculture as a means of livelihood, face in finding a life partner.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from October 15
MELODY DRAMA
This rom-com starring Satya Shraya and Supritha Sathyanarayan follows a married couple who get estranged over a silly misunderstanding. Is a reconcilliation on the cards for them?
Streaming on: NammaFlix from October 6 | Stream it now with OTTplay Premium
BAANG
Debutant director Sree Ganesh Parashuram presents a dark comedy centred on a bunch of friends and he case of a missing bag. The film's highlight was that musician Raghu Dixit played a cigar chomping gangster, while Shanvi Srivastava was a leather jacket sporting gun-totting baddie.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from October 5
AVALAKKI PAVALAKKI
This film explores Dharma in modern times and follows an ancient divine amulet belonging to a tribe that goes missing.
Streaming on: Cinebazzar from October 6
SAPTA SAGARADAACHE ELLO SIDE A
Director Hemanth M Rao's poetic and intense love story follows Manu (Rakshit Shetty) and Priya (Rukmini Vasanth, a much-in-love couple with dreams of a beautiful future together. But a decision he takes in the hope of a better tomorrow for them tears them apart. This is only the first of Hemanth's two-part story. Side B will be in theatres on October 27.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from September 29
KRRANTIVEERA
Ajith Jayaraj plays the lead in this biopic on the life of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Directed by Aadat MP, the film, which also has Pramod Shetty and Dharma in pivotal roles, will be in theatres and on OTT simultaneously.
Streaming on: Cinebazzar from September 29
KOUSALYA SUPRAJA RAMA
Director Shashank's latest is about the harm male chauvinism causes. He got Darling Krishna as the protagonist, an egoistical youngster, whose world view about women changes when he finds his match in Muthulakshmi (Milana Nagaraj). The film has dropped on OTT after a 50-day run at the box office.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Videos from September 15
HOSTEL HUDUGARU BEKAGIDDARE
Nithin Krishnamurthy's directorial debut is a rib-tickling comedy that unfolds at an all-boys hostel, where the warden drops dead after leaving an incriminating suicide note behind. Can the boys dig themselves out of this mess? The film was a big hit in its Kannada original version and was then released in Telugu too.
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada from September 15
NAMO BHOOTHATHMA 2
Komal Kumar's latest sees him reunite with choreographer-turned-filmmaker Murali for a horror comedy. Murali's frst as a filmmaker as also with Komal, almost a decade ago. While that was a remake, this time, Murali presented an original tale about incidents occuring in a haunted mansion in Chikkamagaluru.
Streaming on: Sun NXT from September 8
HOSA DINACHARI
Hosa Dinachari directed by Vyshak Pushpalatha and Keerthi Shekhar, starring Babu Hirannaiah, Aruna Balaraj, Mandara Battalahalli and Chethan, among others, is an anthology following four couples as they navigate difficult times during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from September 6, 2023
AACHAR & CO
Debutant filmmaker Sindhu Srinivasa Murthy's film follows the family of Madhusudan and Savitri Aachar and their 10 children and how the younger generation deals with the loss of the family patriarch.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from August 22
VIKIPEDIA
Somu Hoysala's film has Yashvanth and Ashika Somashekar in the lead.
Streaming on: MX Player from July 17, 2023
STALKER
When a young girl becomes the victim of stalking, her father tries to keep her safe. What he does, though, puts him under the radar of the anti-terrorism squad. Can he keep his family safe?
Streaming on: Namma Flix from July 7
SAVITRI
Savitri is the first Kannada film to get a direct-to-YouTube release. The film has Vijay Raghavendra, Prakash Belawadi and Tara in pivotal roles. It is a psychological horror thriller.
Read our review: Savitri movie review: Vijay Raghavendra’s psychological thriller is bland and has no scares
Streaming on: YouTube from July 7
DAREDEVIL MUSTHAFA
Debutant director Shashank Soghal's adaptation of Poornachandra Tejaswi's short story follows the events that play out when the Abachuru PU College welcomes its first and only Muslim student.
Daredevil Musthafa review: A beautiful tale of harmony and brotherhood; but are we really listening?
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from June 16
SHRI BALAJI PHOTO STUDIO
The directorial debut of TV actor Rajesh Dhruva, Shri Balaji Photo Studio has him playing the lead in a story about a smal-town photographer.
Streaming on: MX Player from June 16
RAAGHU
Vijay Raghavendra's crime triller Raaghu explored the solo-act filmmmaking style.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime video from June 5, 2023
1 RABARI KATHE
Kannada action drama directed by Gopal Haller Honnavara, starring, Ranadhir Gowda, Rishvi Bhat , Sunder Raj, Shivraj KR Pete, Tabala Nani, Kari Subbu
Streaming on: Cinebazzar from June 2.
UNDENAAMA
Komal Kumar's first film in four years, Undenaama is a comedy about his character, an eligible bachelor's desperate quest to get married during the pandemic.
Streaming on: Sun NXT from June 2, 2023
VEERAM
Narasimha, a hot-headed young man, gets embroiled in crime, much to the disappointment of his sister who has raised him. Her only hope remains their promising younger brother Veeru but when things go awry in Narasimha's case, Veeru is forced to take his place and embrace a life of violence and danger.
Read our review: Veeram Kannada film review: Prajwal Devaraj runs riot in this impossible action drama
Streaming on: Sun NXT from May 26, 2023
RAGHAVENDRA STORES
This comedy from the house of Hombale Films and directed by Santhosh Annddram, released in theatres on April 28. Led by Jaggesh, along with Shwetha Srivatsav, Dattanna, Ravishankar Gowda and Mithra, among others, the film landed on OTT only 3 weeks later.
Read our review: Raghavendra Stores movie review: Jaggesh stars in a meandering but good-hearted comedy-drama
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from May 19, 2023
BENKIYALLI ARALIDA HOOVU
This family drama revolves around Sukanya (Anupama Gowda), who works in a garment company and is the prime caretaker of her family. Her husband is an auto driver, but a complete drunkard. Sukanya must struggle against society and her irresponsible husband to take care of her daughter and hold her family together.
Read our review: Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu review: Bigg Boss Kannada fame Anupama’s film is so melodramatic it’s painful to watch
Streaming on: Cinebazzar from April 28, 2023
GURUDEV HOYSALA
Daali Dhananjaya's milestone 25th had him in cop mode, with Amrutha Iyengar paired opposite him. The film addresses two pertinent social issues and was widely appreciated.
Read our review: Gurudev Hoysala review: Dhananjaya and Naveen Shankar shine in this engaging action drama
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from April 27, 2023
RAVI BOPANNA
Crazy Star V Ravichandran's last directorial was the Kannada remake of the Malayalam film Joseph, which had Joju George in the title role. Ravichandran set his film in Coorg and called the lead character Ravi Bopanna, but his version was no match for the original.
Read our review: Ravi Bopanna review: Crazy Star Ravichandran's version of the Malayalam hit 'Joseph' is unconvincing, dull
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from April 15, 2023
KABZAA
R Chandru's gangster flick with Upendra in the lead was supposed to tb the next big thing from Kannada cinema. Unfortunately, the filmmaker's KGF inspiration went beyond the look and music, with audiences panning it widely. The film dropped on OTT within a month of its theatrical outing following this backlash.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from April 14, 2023
HONDISI BAREYIRI
The film stars Praveen Tej, Samyuktha Hornad, Bhavana Rao, Naveen Shankar, and Aishani Shetty as college students and explores events that transpire in their lives over a 12 year period.
Read our review: Hondisi Bareyiri review: A simple story made immensely watchable because of its cast
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from April 1, 2023
MR BACHELOR
One of Darling Krishna's umpteen rom-coms that failed to mke a mark at the box office, Mr Bachelor gets a late OTT outing. The film pairs him with 'Shake it Pushpavati' fame Nikika Ratnakar and stars Milana Nagaraj as well in a pivotal role.
Streaming on: SunNXT from March 31, 2023
DNA
Two couples who had sons at the same time and hospital, are told six years later, that the kid they've taken home is not their biological offspring and that there there was a mix up. Will they insist on setting things right or will love trump all?
Streaming on: Cinebazzar
GANDHADA GUDI
The late Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar's dream project, Gandhada Gudi's teaser was supposed to be the Rajyotsava presentation of 2021. That was not to be, as Puneeth tragically passed away only days earlier. The team eventually brought the docu-feature to audiences on the late actor's first death anniversary. And now, four and a half months later, it is on OTT too.
Read our review: Gandhada Gudi review: If James was an emotion, Puneeth Rajkumar’s dream project is an experience of a lifetime
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from March 17, 2023
ONCE UPON A TIME IN JAMALIGUDDA
Once Upon a Time in Jamaligudda was Dhananjaya's last film of 2022, which did not work at the box office either, leaving the actor with a lacklustre year. The film paired the actor with Aditi Prabhudeva.
Read our review: Once Upon a Time in Jamaligudda review: An intriguing romance that lacks depth, finesse
Streaming on: SunNXT from MArch 17, 2023
LOVE BIRDS
Love Birds reunited Darling Krishna and Milana Nagaraj in a film about a newly-married couple and the issues that crop up after the initial phase.
Streaming on: Amzon Prime Video from March 10
PADAVI POORVA
Directed by Hariprasad Jayanna, the debut of Prithvi Shamannur is a 90s college caper with Anjali Anish and Yasha Shivakumar in the lead.
Streaming on: SunNXT from March 3, 2023
KRANTI
Darshan's second collaboration with team Yajamana, Kranti, had him playing a successful NRI businessman who returns home to save his alma mater from destruction at the hands of a private organization. The film paired him with his Bulbul co-star Rachita Ram.
Read our review: Kranti review: Darshan tries valiantly to salvage Harikrishna’s uninspiring film, but the script fails him and how!
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from February 23
#MUTE
#Mute is KGF fame Archana Jois' first solo release. The actress plays Divya, a divorcee, whose life revolves around her dog, Cosmo. What happens when the dog is taken by a psycho, hell-bent on unleashing terror on the animal, forms the crux of the narrative.
Read our review: #Mute review: Archana Jois’ ‘frantic’ search for a missing pet is lacklustre and tiring
Streaming on: NammaFlix from February 23 (also available through Amazon Prime Video channels)
ABBARA
A masked vigilante is on the hunt of dreaded gangster Vairamudi, for something the latter had done 25 years ago. Who is this vigilante and what is his beef with the gangster? The film stars Prajwal Devaraj in the lead.
Read our review: Abbara movie review: Prajwal Devaraj's film is an excruciating moviewatching experience, right from the start
Streaming on: SunNXT from February 24
RAANA
Director Nandakishore's film was about a police aspirant, who runs foul of a local gangster, which, in turn, almost derails his career plans.
Read our review: Raana review: A two-hour showreel for Shreyas Manju with some hits and loads of misses
Streaming on: SunNXT from February 16, 2023
VEDHA
Shivarajkumar's milestone 125th film, the period revenge drama Vedha, is not only his maiden home production, but also his fourth with director A Harsha. The film has a strong female presence, including Umashree, Ganavi Laxman, Shwetha Changappa, and Aditii Sagar.
Read our review: Vedha review: A blaring revenge story led by a very impressive female cast and, of course, Shiva Rajkumar
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada from February 10
TRIPLE RIDING
This romantic comedy with Golden Star Ganesh in the lead, pairs him with not one, but three heroines - Aditi Prabhudeva, Rachana Inder and Megha Shetty. Who will he end up with and why?
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from February 3
GARUDA
A revenge drama, Garuda was written by lead actor Siddharth Mahesh. The film, which released in May last year, also stars Srinagara Kitty, Kamna Jethmalani, Aindrita Ray and Ashika Ranganath, among others.
Read our review: Garuda movie review: Srinagara Kitty steals the show in Siddharth Mahesh’s revenge drama
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from February 2, 2023
ORCHESTRA, MYSURU!
Orchestra, Mysuru! was actor Poornachandra Mysore's first as a leading man and revolves around the orchestra culture in Mysuru. The story follows an aspiring singer's attempts to get into a popular orchestra troupe.
Read our review: Orchestra, Mysuru! review: A sincere, endearing ode that could have afforded a few more risks
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from January 27, 2023
Dr 56
Dr 56 is a criminal thriller about a murder investigation into the killing of a bunch of neurosurgeons, with the chief suspect a patient who requires a pill every 56 hours. The film explores the medical mafia.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from January 26, 2023
DIL PASAND
In the continuing saga of rom-coms featuring Darling Krishna in the lead is Dil Pasand, which pairs him with Megha Shetty and Nishvika Naidu. While he is engaged to Megha's character, he meets Nishvika, after a night out at a pub. Will he choose the traditional beauty Megha or the more outgoing Nishvika.
Streaming on: SunNXT from January 20
HEAD BUSH
Daali Dhananjaya's second home production, Head Bush, is the biopic of Bengaluru's first don, MP Jayaraj, based on the book by former gangster Agni Sreedhar, My Days in the Underworld. Planned as a multi-part franchise, the first one, Head Bush - The Rise and Rise of Bengaluru, is about Jayaraj's rise in the city's underworld. The film, starring Dhananjaya as Jayaraj, also had Raghu Mukherjee, Balu Nagendra, Sruthi Hariharan, Payal Rajput, Vasishta N Simha and Loose Mada Yogi, among others, on its ensemble cast.
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada since January 13, 2023
THOTAPURI: CHAPTER 1
Director Vijayaprasad's latest adult comedy starring Navarasa nayaka Jaggesh teleased along with Rishab Shetty's Kantara on September 30 and fizzled away at the box office. The film also starred Aditi Prabhudeva, Hema Dutt, Veena Sundar, Suman Ranganathan, Dhananjaya, among others, This was meant to be the first of two instalments, but given that the first failed, it remains to be seen if the team will make the second after all.
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada since December 23
10
Kirik Party cinematographer Karm Chawla's directorial debut, 10, was released in theatres without any fanfare and promptly made its way to a streaming platform only a week later. The buzz was that the deal with the plaform was set to run out at the end of December, forcing producer Pushkara Mallikarjunaiah to bring the film to theatres.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from December 23
MONSOON RAAGA
Monsoon Raaga is the Kannada remake of the Telugu hit, C/O Kancharapalem. The film's narrative follows four different love stories and had on its cast Dhananjaya, Rachita Ram, Suhasini Maniratnam, Yasha Shivakumar and Achyuth Kumar, among others.
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada from December 9
LOVE 360
Director Shashank's Kannada adaptation of the Korean hit, Mother, introduced Dr Praveen as leading man. He was paired with Love Mocktail fame Rachana Inder in the film. Love 360 features a hit song by Sid Sriram, Jagave Neenu, composed by Arjun Janya.
Streaming: SunNXT from November 29
KANTARA
Rishab Shetty's much awaited divine blockbuster, which follows a man vs nature and man vs man conflict, is finally available on OTT. The film's streaming rights had been sold prior to its theatrical release, so it was initially expected that there would be a 30-day from release deal. But the film's massive success meant that the team renegotiated the terms and pushed it to a 50-day deal.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from November 24 in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.
Hindi to come on Netflix later.
GURU SHISHYARU
The sports drama directed by Jadeshaa K Hampi, with Sharan in the lead, follows a PT master's stint at a remote school, where his role as kho-kho coach takes on a greater responsibility.
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada from October 11.
WINDOW SEAT
Actress and TV host Sheethal Shetty's directorial debut was a murdery mystery with Nirup Bhandari in the lead. The whodunit also had Amrutha Iyengar, Sanjana Anand and Lekha Naidu in pivotal roles.
Streaming on: Zee5 Kannada from October 28
DOLLU
Sagar Puranik's directorial debut, about a Dollu Kunitha group that disbands when the going gets tough, won a national award for Best Regional Film - Kannada. The film has been produced by Pavan Wadeyar.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from October 17
LUCKY MAN
Lucky Man, which is the Kannada remake of the Tamil film Oh My Kadavule, was made popular because it is the late Puneeth Rajkumar's last commercial film. He plays god in the film, who gives the protagonist a second chance at setting his life right.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from October 7
GAALIPATA 2
The sequal to the 2008 Gaalipata, this Yogaraj Bhat directorial had Ganesh, Diganth and Pawan Kumar, along with Vaibhavi Shandilya, Samyuktha Menon and Sharmiela Mandre in the lead.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video from October 5
777 CHARLIE
Director Kiranraj K's transformational journey of protagonist Dharma (Rakshit Shetty), once a dog called Charlie comes into his life, was a massive box office success.
Streaming on: Voot Select (Kannada only) from July 29 & Amazon Prime Video (other languages) since September 29 for rent only.