Kannappa promised ten weeks in theatres, but lukewarm reception and online buzz suggest an early OTT debut is highly likely. Is history repeating itself after Thug Life’s box office exit?
Kannappa was launched with all the spectacle of a big screen epic. From the teaser to the press conferences, Vishnu Manchu’s mythological action drama was marketed as a theatrical event. Audiences were promised ten uninterrupted weeks to enjoy the film on the big screen before it even considered a digital release. That’s a bold move in today’s OTT driven landscape. But just like we saw with Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life, big claims sometimes don’t survive real time results.
Earlier this year, Thug Life was supposed to follow a strict eight week theatrical window. Kamal Haasan was clear about protecting the cinema experience, claiming the film needed time to breathe in theatres before moving online. But within a few weekends, the box office momentum fizzled out. Critic reviews were harsh, audiences stayed away, and eventually Netflix picked it up earlier than expected. The theatrical window quietly shrank to just four weeks, proving that when numbers fall, promises bend.
Now, Kannappa appears to be heading down a similar path. While the opening days saw a moderate turnout, the social media chatter hasn’t been kind. Fans are comparing the film’s visuals to Adipurush, not as praise but as criticism. The storyline, too, is being called stretched and underwhelming. And when word of mouth begins to cool, ticket sales follow. The very same fans who were excited during the pre release buzz are now predicting an early OTT release.
Why does this matter? Because the industry is watching. Theatrical windows were once rigid, meant to uphold a film’s box office run and ensure a healthy revenue cycle. But that system now looks fragile. Audiences are growing used to faster access. Streaming giants are ready with trimmed deals. Filmmakers want the theatre experience, but they also want to recover their investments. And when a movie like Kannappa starts losing steam early, the ten week promise becomes more of a suggestion than a strategy.
For OTT platforms, this shift is a win. They get fresh content faster, without waiting for a long theatrical cycle. For viewers, it means quicker access to big budget films from the comfort of home. But for the theatrical business, it raises questions about the sustainability of long windows in an audience first world. The moment a film underdelivers at the box office, OTT becomes the rescue plan.
Kannappa may still have a chance to surprise us if it manages to stabilize its run. But judging by online trends, dwindling footfalls, and the precedent set by Thug Life, it seems more likely that the ten week commitment will quietly collapse in favor of an earlier streaming debut. If that happens, viewers will welcome the shift but the promise of cinema first experiences will become harder to trust in the long run.
For more such streaming updates, entertainment stories, and behind the scenes industry insights, follow Binge Moves on Instagram and Facebook.
