Pawan Kalyan’s ambitious period action drama ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 Sword vs Spirit’ or simply ‘HHVM’, which arrived in cinemas earlier this year with sky-high expectations, is now streaming online. The film, initially touted as the actor’s big pan-India outing, failed to make an impact at the box office and has made its way to digital, hoping to find a second wind with audiences at home.
streaming in multiple languages
The historical epic is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in multiple languages, including Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.The streamer is said to have bagged the post-theatrical rights for a staggering Rs 50 crore, according to a report by Cinema Express.Directed initially by Krish Jagarlamudi, the film later saw Jyothi Krishna, son of producer AM Rathnam, take over directorial duties. Despite a star-studded lineup featuring Pawan Kalyan, Bollywood actor Bobby Deol, and Nidhhi Agerwal, the film struggled to live up to its hype. For fans, it was also unusual to see Pawan Kalyan participate in heavy promotions, something the actor-politician rarely does.Unfortunately, even the extensive marketing push could not prevent the film from receiving a lukewarm response. While the opening day collections were robust, the numbers quickly declined.
box office performance below expectations
According to a trade tracker Sacnilk, the film grossed Rs 84.3 crore net in India and Rs 113.85 crore worldwide. This is significantly below expectations based on its enormity and investment. Critics and fans had many complaints, which included prominent flaws; as was reflected in the most frequent complaints, which were weak visual effects and disjointed screenplay elements, most noticeably in the second half.The OTT release may give the film a fresh opportunity to connect with viewers who skipped it in theatres.During its release, the film also faced a clash with Vijay Deverakonda’s ‘Kingdom’ and mythological animated film, ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’, which were released around the same time.
