Priyanka Upendra’s upcoming film, 1980 directed by debutant Rajkiran J, is set to be an exclusive OTT release. The film will be out on Namma Flix on October 15. An official announcement was made by the production house at the trailer launch event, which had actors Sudeep and Upendra gracing it. Talking about her first OTT release, Priyanka says, “1980 was a project, which was ready four months ago, and obviously like every other filmmaker, we were also looking for a big-screen release. We have been patiently waiting for theatres to reopen, but things are still bleak. So we decided to go with a digital release.”
“Kannada has not been a priority for popular streaming channels, and I wonder why. I have seen regional films of other languages have the same kind of making like our films, but the former has been given priority. So, we decided to go with a homegrown app. If this works, it will open the door for other films, who are wanting a channel to release their films. Secondly, there is a sector of audiences who are particular about watching only Kannada movies, and 1980 will cater to all those viewers,” says Priyanka.
1980 has a parallel concept-based core, and this is what attracted Priyanka to the film. “I play a novelist, and all my portions are set in 1980. The retro look and feel gave a whole new dimension to my character,” says Priyanka, adding, “It was an interesting role conceived by Rajkiran. The script was content-driven, and I enjoyed the shooting process,” she says.
The film, which bears the caption ‘A Demon’s era’, is being made under the banner of RK Productions. It will have music by Chintan Vikas and cinematography by Jeeva Antony. Meanwhile, Priyanka also has Life is Beautiful, and Ugravatara in the post-production stages.