Rahman's '99 Songs' headed to Netflix, JioCinema on May 21
Music maestro AR Rahman's maiden production 99 Songs will start streaming on Netflix and JioCinema from May 21. The film, directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, will be available in three languages, namely Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. It had hit the theaters on April 16, but lockdown restrictions imposed by several states due to COVID-19 second wave impacted the business of the musical.
'99 Songs' is a story of a musician's struggle
The film, jointly written by Rahman along with Krishnamoorthy, is a story of a musician and the journey he takes facing various struggles to become a successful music composer. It is laden with music composed by Rahman (no surprises there) and stars newcomers Ehan Bhat and Edilsy Vargas in lead roles, alongside Aditya Seal, Lisa Ray and Manisha Koirala among others, in supporting characters.
Rahman came up with the story 10 years ago
The film produced under Rahman's banner YM Movies was reportedly conceived by him several years ago in 2011. The scripting and finalizing took another four years, and the film was announced in 2015. The production finally started after the leads were chosen through rigorous auditions. The film premiered on October 9, 2019 at the 24th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.
The film received mixed reviews from critics and audience
In an interview before the film's release, Rahman had said, "Everyone is wondering 'how the hell is he releasing the film now, is he crazy?' But I think the movie has to come out, people need to see it on the big screen. It is a cinematic experience." The film was ultimately met with mixed to negative reviews, with many criticizing the treatment.
Netflix has many releases lined up for May
Apart from 99 Songs, there are many other releases on Netflix that are already out or will be out soon. On May 7, the debut vehicle of Katrina Kaif's sister Isabella Kaif, Time To Dance premiered on Netflix. On May 14, the docuseries Alma Matters, chronicling life at an IIT, released on the platform. On May 23, Season 3 of Master of None drops.
