Hyderabad: Nani's Telugu action drama The Paradise began streaming on Netflix on October 22, in a revised version about 24 minutes shorter than its theatrical cut, with a widely criticised dance sequence removed.
The streaming version runs for around two hours and 30 minutes, against the theatrical runtime of two hours and 54 minutes. The most notable change is the removal of a dance sequence featuring Sonali Kulkarni's character, which appeared during a fight scene in cinemas and quickly became a talking point on social media. Some portions reportedly feature improved visual effects, and the end credits have been slowed down.
Directed by Srikanth Odela and produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under the SLV Cinemas banner, the film stars Nani alongside Kayadu Lohar, Mohan Babu, Sonali Kulkarni, Raghav Juyal and Priyadarshi. It marks the reunion of Nani and Odela after Dasara.
The film reportedly collected Rs 76 crore worldwide on its opening day, but the momentum did not sustain. It ended its theatrical run with an estimated worldwide gross of Rs 173.35 crore.
The Paradise drew mixed to negative reactions in cinemas, with viewers criticising the length of the second half and what they saw as excessive violence. The changes in the OTT cut appear to be a direct response to that feedback. The core story, performances and narrative arc remain unchanged. The film is streaming in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam with 4K Dolby Vision.
The changes are seen as a response to the criticism the film drew in cinemas, where viewers found the second half overlong and the violence excessive. Nani is reported to have personally overseen the reworking of the OTT version, deciding what stayed and what went.