The film 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh', starring Power Star Pawan Kalyan, has once again sparked a debate on social media, while directed by Harish Shankar, this film is the official adaptation of the 2016 Tamil hit 'Theri'. It was released in theaters on March 19. At the box office, it faced stiff competition from Aditya Dhar's film 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' and failed to receive much appreciation from critics. Produced with a massive budget of 150 crore rupees, the film managed to do business of only about 95 crore rupees worldwide, resulting in a box office failure. Now, the film has arrived on the OTT platform and is trending in the top 6 immediately upon release.
Netflix Debut and OTT Release Details
'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' has arrived on Netflix, but even here, it's facing audience resentment and trolling. Netflix India officially announced on Wednesday evening that 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' has been available for streaming on their platform since April 16. The film has been released in Telugu as well as Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages. Releasing a new trailer, Netflix invited viewers to 'feel the power'. On the occasion of Ugadi on Thursday, a new poster of the film was also shared, presenting it as a major entertainer. However, as soon as streaming began, fans' anger erupted towards the film.
Social Media Trolling and Fan Reactions
As soon as 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' hit OTT, platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram were flooded with sarcastic comments. Many fans made sharp remarks regarding the quality of the film. One user sarcastically called it an 'Oscar nominee' and a '1 billion dollar earning film', while another wrote that he could watch Pawan Kalyan's flop film 'Agnyaathavaasi' four times but couldn't muster the courage to watch 'Ustaad' again. Some wrote in a warning tone that while the film has arrived, there is no one to watch it.
Praise for Netflix Trailer and Criticism of Makers
Interestingly, while the film is being criticized, the new trailer cut by Netflix is being appreciated. Fans targeted the production house 'Mythri Movie Makers' and director Harish Shankar, stating that Netflix's trailer editing is much better and more energetic than the film's original trailer. Some even suggested that Netflix should re-edit the entire film so that at least families can watch it.
Key Highlights and Production Data
Journey and Challenges of the Project
The journey of 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh' has been quite turbulent. It was announced in 2021 under the name 'Bhavadeeyudu Bhagat Singh'. This was the second collaboration between Harish Shankar and Pawan Kalyan after the 2012 blockbuster 'Gabbar Singh', leading to very high expectations. After several delays and name changes, its shooting started in 2023 and was completed in 2025. This was one of the last films signed by Pawan Kalyan before he became the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and became active in politics. Looking at the current reactions, it seems this duo has failed to recreate the magic of 'Gabbar Singh' this time.