It has been three years since the production of Agnyathavasi, a murder mystery directed by Janardhan Chikkanna, known for his work on Gultoo. The film is set to be released in theaters in April 2025. According to producer Hemanth M Rao, the delay was a deliberate decision. "Three years is quite a lengthy period; we were actually ready with the film, but I chose to postpone the release and slow down the completion of technical elements because the market conditions were not favorable for cinema," Hemanth stated in an interview with The Hindu.

Hemanth M Rao: I cannot afford to lose the investment on Agnyathavasi

The filmmaker explains that Agnyathavasi was financed through the earnings he generated from previous projects; it represents an investment he cannot afford to jeopardize. For Hemanth, returning without success was not an option, especially since he had several investors who had placed their trust in him, necessitating a return on their investment. He notes, “The market conditions for acquisitions were so poor that no one was willing to step forward to purchase films at a fair value for the quality presented.”

Agnyathavasi features Charan Raj as the composer and Advaitha Gurumurthy as the cinematographer. Given the high level of technical expertise involved in the film, the offers Hemanth received were disappointingly low, prompting him to choose to wait for a more favorable market situation. Regrettably for Hemanth, it appears that such an improvement is not on the horizon anytime soon.

Discussing the current market dynamics, Hemanth believes that we are witnessing a form of course correction. “Consumer purchasing habits have shifted dramatically. OTT platforms are now highly selective about the films they choose to acquire. It is evident that even major films are not being picked up, not only in Kannada but across all languages,” Hemanth observes. He explains that this correction is occurring because, during the pandemic, significant investments were made by platforms that were still in their early stages.

Now that these platforms have established themselves in the market, they are focusing on acquiring films that align with their strategic interests. “From their standpoint, their approach is justified; however, for us, if the films do not meet a certain standard, the fundamental purpose of filmmaking is compromised. The current understanding is that if audiences wish to see a Kannada film, they must go to theaters. We need to ensure that we produce a film of sufficient quality to encourage viewers to watch it and share their experiences. This trend is also evident in Malayalam, Tamil, and even Telugu cinema,” Hemanth adds.

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