Netflix buys yet-to-release Thandel's digital rights for ₹40 cr, biggest ever for Chaitanya's film

Netflix has secured Director Chandoo Mondeti’s upcoming Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi-starrer Thandel’s digital rights for ₹40 crore, an official release said.

A press release shared by the makers claims that this is the biggest deal any of Chaitanya’s films have ever gotten. Even though the film’s shoot is still underway, the filmmakers have sold the film’s digital rights to Netflix.

“The film’s business started on a massive note. The leading OTT platform, Netflix, obtained the digital rights of Thandel for all South Indian and Hindi languages for a staggering price of ₹40 Cr. This is the biggest digital deal for Naga Chaitanya,” it said.

Thandel sees Chaitanya and Chandoo team up for their third film together after Premam and Savyasachi. This is also Chaitanya’s second film with Sai after Sekhar Kammula’s Love Story.

Thandel is based on true incidents. The film is produced by Bunny Vasu with Allu Arjun presenting it under the Geetha Arts banner while Devi Sri Prasad is composing the film’s music. 

Talking to Zig Wheels in March, Chaitanya revealed the film’s plot, stating that it’s inspired by the 2018 incident when fishermen from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh drifted into Pakistan waters by mistake and were taken into custody.

“Thandel is a film I’ve been working on for quite some time; it’s a very special film for me. Firstly, I’ve never attempted this kind of character or texture. It’s based on some true incidents in 2018 involving these fishermen from Srikakulam. Usually, they go to Gujarat and go fishing from there. On one of their trips, they drifted off into Pakistan's borders and got caught,” he said.

Chaitanya also claimed that the love story featuring him and Sai is based on a true couple who are now married.