On a quiet Tuesday night, which is not exactly the time to announce the streaming of highly-expected movies, Netflix India South Twitter handle tersely tweeted: "We interrupt your scrolling for a very important PSA KURUP IS NOW STREAMING".
Now, Kurup was set stream on Netflix from December 17. But the platform chose to advance its release for unspecified reasons. But nobody will complain.
For, Kurup, which released in theatres in November, has had a good response, both from the critics and the lay fans.
The film, based on the eponymous real-life fugitive Sukumara Kurup, is headlined by the verve-filled Dulquer Salmaan, who unlike his Malayalam colleagues, has not had any great splash in the streaming circuit.
While stars like Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Prithvirahj Sukumaran, and even Jayasurya, have had big-ticket straight releases on the OTT platforms, Dulquer has been rather quiet on the circuit. But Kurup, even though it is not a straight OTT release, can give him the impetus for a big leap.
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Did Kurup not want to clash with Marakkar?
Kurup is a crime thriller based on the real-life absconder, who still features in the most wanted list of Interpol. the film also stars Shobita Dhulipalia, Shine Tom Chacko, Indrajith Sukumaran, among others. And there is also --- spoiler alert --- surprise cameos from Anupama Parameswaran and Tovino Thomas.
Directed by Srinath Rajendran, whose debut film was Second Show, which too was a Dulquer Salman starrer. Among the talking points of Kurup was the art work of national-award winner Vineesh Banglan, who had recreated the 70s and 80s Kerala with aplomb.
For the record, movies like NH47 and Pinneyum had also tried to fictionalise the life and shenanigans of Sukumara Kurup.
Meanwhile, market gossip has it that Kurup arrived early on Netflix, as it did not want a straight confrontation with Mohanlal's Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham, which is set to stream on Amazon Prime Video from December 17 (the original date of streaming of Kurup as well). The Mohanlal-starrer --- one of the costliest films ever made in Mollywood --- is a period drama and had hit the screens on December 2.
Whether there is credence to this speculation or not, Kurup will be an early holiday season treat for the legions of fans of Malayalam cinema on the OTT circuit.
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