Ravi Teja’s Tiger Nageswara Rao, which had its theatrical release in October 2023, followed by a streaming premiere in November, has now released on OTT in Indian sign language. It is reportedly the first Indian film to have such a release.
The film’s producer Abhishek Aggarwal took to his social media page to make the announcement. He posted on his X page, “A new chapter in inclusivity in Indian Cinema. Tiger Nageswara Rao is the First Indian film to have an OTT Release in the Indian Sign Language.” Tiger Nageswara Rao was produced under the banner Abhishek Aggarwal arts, and directed by Vamsee. Ravi Teja played a thief in the film.
The pandemic has catalysed a significant shift in the entertainment industry, propelling the rise of Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms. These platforms have made movies in various languages accessible to audiences, even in the most remote areas. However, while the expansion of OTT has been widely celebrated, one crucial aspect often overlooked is its accessibility for the hearing and speech impaired.
Ravi Teja’s Tiger Nageswara Rao was one of the most anticipated films of the year. Apart from Ravi Teja, who plays the title character, the film stars Nupur Sanon, Gayatri Bhardwaj, Renu Desai, Anupam Kher, Murali Sharma, and others. Directed by Vamsee, the story is inspired by the life of the ‘notorious’ thief named in the title who hailed from Stuartpuram, a village in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur. Nageswara Rao apparently got the moniker ‘Tiger’ after he escaped from a high security prison in Chennai.
Stuartpuram was a ‘reformatory settlement’, virtually an open air prison for communities that were notified as ‘criminals’ under the Criminal Tribes Act 1871 enacted by the British. The marginalised Yerukula community, categorised as Scheduled Tribe, faced severe oppression after being declared ‘criminals’. The landlords exploited their vulnerability and used them as cheap labour. As part of the ‘reformation’, the police had to teach the community discipline and punctuality, which effectively meant harassment.
