The epic fantasy action drama *Kanguva*, starring the immensely popular Suriya and Bollywood veteran Bobby Deol, finally made its highly-anticipated debut on Amazon Prime Video on December 8th. Directed by Siva, this visually stunning film, released theatrically on November 14th, arrived on the streaming platform just weeks later, generating significant buzz among fans. However, this excitement was quickly tempered by a notable omission.
The film’s availability is currently limited to Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, leaving a significant portion of the potential audience – Bollywood enthusiasts – feeling severely neglected. Amazon Prime Video’s Instagram announcement, featuring a captivating poster and the tagline “A tale as old as time & a LEGACY that lives on KANGUVA arrives to settle it all,” was met with a wave of disappointment in the comments section. Fans flooded the post with pleas for a Hindi dubbed version, expressing their frustration with the exclusion. Comments like “where is hindi language?” and “Hindi dubbed please” became prevalent, highlighting the significant demand for a Hindi release. Many questioned the delay, with one user poignantly stating, “Hindi me late kyon aati hai samjh ni aata (I don’t understand why the Hindi version takes time to get released).”
Adding to the controversy, a keen-eyed viewer on X (formerly Twitter) noticed a discrepancy in the film’s runtime. While the theatrical release clocked in at 2 hours and 36 minutes, the Amazon Prime Video version reportedly runs for 2 hours and 22 minutes – a difference of approximately 14 minutes. This unexpected shortening has sparked debate among viewers regarding the potential impact on the film’s narrative and overall viewing experience.
Despite its grand scale – boasting a staggering budget of ₹350 crore (approximately $42 million USD) and a cast including Disha Patani, Natarajan Subramaniam, K. S. Ravikumar, and Yogi Babu – *Kanguva* faced an underwhelming box office performance, grossing only ₹106 crore (approximately $13 million USD) worldwide. This fell significantly short of the producer KE Gnanavel Raja’s ambitious prediction of surpassing ₹2,000 crore (approximately $240 million USD). Reviews were mixed, with praise for Suriya’s dual role as Francis and Kanguva, but criticism focusing on the film’s excessive loudness and perceived failure to meet expectations. The early move to OTT could be viewed as a strategic attempt to broaden the film’s reach and recoup some of its considerable investment.
Shot across seven countries and released in a record-breaking 35 languages, *Kanguva* represents a significant undertaking in Indian cinema. The absence of a Hindi version, coupled with the runtime discrepancy, however, has undoubtedly overshadowed the film’s technical achievements and raised significant questions about its distribution strategy and audience engagement. The ongoing outcry for a Hindi dub will undoubtedly pressure Amazon Prime Video to address this significant market demand quickly.
