Prithviraj Sukumaran's recent Malayalam release Kaduva has faced too many issues both before its theatrical release and after it. The masala entertainer, which has been declared a hit by the trade analysts, was expected to be delayed on the streaming platform as there was some legal issues dogging it.
Even as there is no clarity on the legal case, Amazon Prime Video today officially announced that the film Kaduva will stream on its platform from August 4. Prithviraj's previous release on OTT, Jana Gana Mana on Netflix, was also considered a hit. Prithviraj movies including his directorial Bro Daddy have been hugely popular on streaming platforms. So Kaduva, which also stars Bollywood actor Vibvek Oberoi, is also expected to do well on Amazon Prime Video.
Kaduva's legal problems
Kaduva had faced legal challenges before its release in the theatres on July 7. A resident of the Pala town in Kerala, Jose Kuruvinakkunel, alleged that the film was based on his life story and has several sequences in the movie defame him and his family.
He claimed that he is known as Kuruvinakkunnel Kuruvachan and the film's protagonist's name is Kaduvakunnel Kuruvachan. The High Court urged the Censor Board to intervene, and based on the latter's request the name of Prithviraj Sukumaran’s character in the film was changed from Kuruvachan to Kuryachan.
But after the film's release, Jose Kuruvinakkunnel claimed that despite the change announced by the filmmakers, in the film versions that were released in Gulf countries his name ‘Kuruvachan’ was still being used. Kaduva also faced flak for having a scene that hurt the sentiments of specially-abled kids and their parents. The makers apologized and deleted the offending scene.
Directed by the veteran Shaji Kailas, Kaduva is a typical action entertainer with a macho hero and a scheming cop having a go at each other. The film tells the story of a Pala planter, in the 90s, who ends up on a coalition course with IG Joseph Chandy (Vivek Oberoi), a top cop who is politically connected.
"I have always strived to do unique roles in my career, and Joseph's character in the film is an example of it. It is gratifying to see the kind of love this movie and my character has received. I'm glad that through Prime Video, Kaduva would be accessible to an even larger audience, all across the globe," Vivek Oberoi, who plays the villain character, said in a statement.
Samyuktha Menon plays the female lead, and the film is produced by Supriya Menon and Listin Stephen.
