PremiumMartin out on OTT: Dhruva Sarja’s action flick is streaming now; but there’s a catch
Martin out on OTT: Martin, which released in theatres on October 11, opened to overwhelmingly negative response across the country
Last Updated: 04.09 PM, Nov 18, 2024
The Kannada original film Martin, starring Dhruva Sarja in the lead, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Prior to its theatrical outing, it was all about the inordinate delays in the making, which was attributed to issues with the VFX work, with the vendor being hauled to court by producer Uday K Mehta. Subsequently, it became about allegations against director AP Arjun in the VFX issue, and trouble between him and Uday.
When the film eventually came out on October 11, it was panned vehemently, and the team’s response to that was to issue copyright strikes against YouTube reviewers and even initiate legal action against others. Despite all that, Dhruva Sarja’s fans ensured the film got a good opening and it is said to have made an all-India gross of around Rs 26 crore, which is only a minor fraction of its rumoured three-digit budget. Although the makers have not revealed the final budget, it is said to be in the range of Rs 100 cr to Rs 120 cr.
Martin out on Prime Video, but...
The makers were said to be in talks with Zee Network about the satellite and digital rights prior to the release, but there was no follow up, and it has now emerged that the film has landed on Amazon Prime Video instead. As of now, Martin is available for audiences in the UK and USA for rent only, costing €4.49 and $2.99 respectively. The film is expected to drop on the platform for Indian audiences shortly, with sources suggesting it will be on the store here too.
The film, meanwhile, was based on a story by Dhruva’s uncle and actor, Action King Arjun Sarja, and had him in a double role – as Arjun a customs official, and Martin, a notorious gangster. The film revolved around the amnesia-struck protagonist’s attempt to figure out who he is.