Weeks after the release of Real Star Upendra’s UI in theaters, rumors started swirling that Sun Network had acquired the film’s satellite and digital rights, given their collection of the actor-filmmaker’s previous works. However, the UI team quickly shot down those claims, revealing that they actually struck a deal with Zee Network. Initially, it was believed that UI would be available on Zee5, but it turns out Zee Network only secured the television rights, a contract that was finalized a few months back.

Lahari Velu talks about UI's streaming partner

OTTPlay chatted with Velu from Lahari Films about the situation. He mentioned, “Zee Network secured the satellite rights for UI about nine months ago. We’re still in talks for the digital rights and are optimistic about finalizing a deal soon.” When asked if Zee was part of the negotiations, Velu didn’t share any more details. This leaves Amazon Prime Video as another potential player. Velu didn’t confirm or deny anything but promised that news about the digital streaming partner would be coming soon.

Since February 2024, Zee hasn’t picked up streaming rights for any Kannada films. Prime Video has been the main platform for Sandalwood, but they’ve shifted away from outright purchases, leaning more towards pay-per-view options. So, it seems the negotiations are focused on the per-minute rate for UI. Will they get Rs 6 or even more per minute now that it’s been over 30 days since its theatrical release?

UI, created by Venus Entertainment and Lahari Films, hit theaters on December 20. It started off strong but started to fade at the box office after Kiccha Sudeep’s Max premiered just five days later. The producers are saying that UI is the top-grossing Kannada film of the year, but industry analysts have pushed back on that, noting that Max has actually pulled in more revenue than the Upendra-starring flick.

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