Venkatesh Maha’s Rao Bahadur Finds Critical Acclaim, Struggles on OTT

Venkatesh Maha’s Rao Bahadur Faces Slow Start on Netflix

Venkatesh Maha’s psychological thriller Rao Bahadur made headlines during its theatrical release, drawing praise from critics and audiences for its intense storytelling and strong performances. Known for his previous work in content-driven cinema, Maha’s latest directorial effort quickly became a topic of discussion among Telugu film enthusiasts.

After a successful run in theatres, Rao Bahadur recently premiered on Netflix, streaming in five Indian languages. However, the film’s digital journey has started on a modest note. Nearly a week after its OTT launch, Rao Bahadur currently sits at No. 7 on Netflix India’s trending list. It did not secure a spot in Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English Movies for the July 27–August 2 period, even though it was available for part of that week.

Other titles like Gatta Kusthi, Peddi, Con City, and Ikka are currently ahead of Rao Bahadur in Netflix India’s rankings. Notably, except for Gatta Kusthi, these films have been available on the platform for a longer duration, suggesting that Rao Bahadur’s initial streaming momentum has been slower than expected.

Industry observers point out that streaming trends often differ from theatrical success, especially for films that rely heavily on narrative depth. With Rao Bahadur still early in its OTT run, its future performance on digital platforms remains to be seen.