Following its box office disappointment, Nithin’s Robinhood is getting set for a restart — but once again, neither in cinemas nor on streaming. The producers have opted for an innovative promotion method: Robinhood will release initially on television, followed by an OTT presence. This step is a bold change in how movies are connecting with viewers beyond the theatrical release, and everyone’s looking now if this unorthodox move will revitalize the movie.
Robinhood, a movie by Venky Kudumula, hit the screens this March with a decent level of expectations. Since the director and Nithin previously came up with a superhit movie Bheeshma, the duo generated hopes for the same level of success. But things did not go as planned. Even with a huge promotional campaign and a promising trailer, the movie opened to a lackluster response and could not leave an impression at the box office. It turned out to be a huge disaster, disappointing fans and trade circles both.
Now, the latest news about Robinhood is creating interest. Rather than going for a straight digital release on OTT — the path most flop movies tend to follow — the producers, along with ZEE Group, have chosen to go the television-first way.
Television Premiere Before OTT: A New Trend?
This is not a new strategy per se. A while back this year, Sankranthiki Vasthunam attempted something similar — it released on television first, followed by OTT platforms. To everyone’s surprise, the experiment worked well. The TV audience welcomed the film warmly, and that generated excitement helped the digital release as well, finding it a second lease of life.
Observing that success, the ZEE Group, who own both satellite and digital rights to Robinhood, chose to follow the same model. They are hoping that by showing Robinhood initially to the broad and family-based TV audience, they can provide the film with a second chance for acceptance.
This might be a break or make point for Robinhood. Even if it was turned away by theater-goers, viewers of TV shows might have been more appreciative and less critical, especially when it comes to mass entertainers. High ratings on television would then generate curiosity about the movie when it shows up on OTT.
In the fast-changing entertainment scenario of today, when OTT superiority tends to upstage traditional TV premieres, attempting to bring both worlds together creatively is an intelligent decision. If Robinhood succeeds in attaining good TRP ratings, it will help improve its image, providing Nithin and Venky Kudumula with some redemption after the box office failure.
Big Budget, Bigger Expectations
We need to keep in mind that Robinhood was no small movie. It was one of the most expensive undertakings in Nithin’s career. Expectations from the movie were necessarily high, not only due to the budget but also due to the successful past combination of the lead actor and director.
The failure of the movie came as a shock to most industry analysts. Numerous reasons were put forward for the underperformance — a standard narrative, absence of originality, ordinary music, and poor emotional connection. Although the movie was fun in patches and also had some fine comedy scenes, it did not make a deep impression.
To an actor like Nithin, who frantically needed a success to recover well, Robinhood’s performance was a setback of epic proportions. But the TV premiere is a ray of hope that all is not lost.
If the movie receives a good reaction on TV, it may redeem its image to some extent. Additionally, Nithin’s popularity with the family audience, particularly those who view television programming frequently, may prove advantageous for him.
Will Sankranthiki Vasthunam’s Plan Work Again?
The question really is now — can Robinhood recreate the magic of Sankranthiki Vasthunam?
Though both films belong to two different genres and two different expectations, the underlying factor is their requirement of redemption after disappointing runs at the theatres.
Sankranthiki Vasthunam succeeded in tugging at the heartstrings because it possessed an emotionally connectible plot that resonated with families — the prime target market for television viewers. Robinhood, however, is slightly more of a family-friendly mass entertainer with some action and comedy.
How well Robinhood will be able to build enough emotional rapport with television viewers remains to be seen to push good TRP figures. The hype surrounding the TV premiere, the pre-broadcast marketing strategy, and the actual premiere timing (perhaps over a weekend slot) will all be important factors.
Considering how competitive both TV and OTT are now, even a movie which initially doesn’t do well has several opportunities to make a successful comeback and reinvent itself. If Robinhood can leave a good impression on the TV platform, the OTT launch also might receive a more favorable welcome.
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A successful Second Chance for Robinhood
Each movie deserves a second life, and Robinhood is one of them. With the first-television release strategy, the producers are experimenting with something novel and new. It’s a risk, albeit a calculated one, but based on how public opinion can so easily swing towards something with sufficient momentum, it could well work.
Nithin, Venky Kudumula, and the crew will be pinning hopes on the audience viewing the film with new eyes, free from its box office baggage. If the TV premiere is a hit, it could usher in new possibilities not just for Robinhood but also for future Telugu films that don’t get their theatrical opening but still enjoy love from audiences through other avenues.
The TV release date is about to be made public, and the fans are already looking forward to witnessing if Robinhood will manage to shock all of us for the second time.
Nothing is ever set in stone in today’s era of entertainment until the audience speaks — and sometimes all a film needs is a bit of patience and a suitable platform.
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