Rana Daggubati
Even as Netflix is fielding criticism online, Rana Daggubati is proud that his Telugu presentation, Krishna and his Leela, has grabbed eyeballs. A section of the audience has alleged that the film — which shows the protagonist named Krishna having sexual encounters with several women, one of whom is named Radha — hurts religious sentiments. Daggubati keeps mum on the controversy, instead focussing on how the movie has appealed to the youth. "When I heard the story, I felt it would easily connect with the youngsters. It had pop culture references while telling a simple story that is also globally relevant. In a way, it's perfect that it released on an OTT platform. At its heart, the story resonated with teens and young adults," he says.
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If streaming platforms have witnessed a sharp spike in viewership during the lockdown, it has also led to the audiences taking keen interest in regional cinema. Daggubati perceives it as a step in the right direction. "Good stories have always broken language and cultural barriers. The Internet opened up the possibility of exploring regional cinema a few years ago, and now, OTT platforms have made it even more accessible," he analyses.
A still from Krishna and his Leela
It's not uncommon for Bollywood to turn to the South film industry for adaptations. With the audience now enjoying films in their original languages, will the remake culture die a slow death? "The conviction in repackaging an original story is that it needs to be seen by a larger group of people. So, adaptations will continue, and will cater to a larger demographic of viewers," states the actor.
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