Mohanlal-starrer ‘Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea’, which has been directed by Priyadarshan, will soon be shown on a streaming platform after talks broke down with theatre owners in Kerala.
Now news comes that the period film has reportedly bought by Amazon Prime Video for Rs900 million.
Reports attributed to the producer of the movie, Antony Perumbavoor, stating that this was one of the most costly purchases made by Amazon in India.
The movie, according to industry sources, is one of the costliest productions ever in Malayalam cinema, made at a budget of Rs1 billion.
Perumbavoor earlier said that he had tried his level best to show the movie on the big screen but even after several rounds of meetings with theatre owners, a final decision could not be reached and hence he and his team had decided to sell the movie on a streaming platform.
Kerala film producers association head C. Sureshkumar had said that the producers of the movie and the association had held several rounds of meetings with the film exhibitors but no solution could be arrived at.
Film exhibitors association head Anchal Jayakumar had hit back at the makers of the film. “We have held discussions and we had promised Rs15 crore (Rs150m) and 500 screens for the producer but they insist on more and we cannot afford that. Theatres will remain an indispensable part of the Malayalam film industry and we cannot be cowed down by such actions.”
