In an unexpected turn of events, Kiran Rao’s modestly-budgeted rural dramedy, *Laapataa Ladies*, has outshined Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s highly anticipated and heavily marketed action film, *Animal*, on Netflix. The streaming battleground has favored Rao’s film, garnering more views and maintaining a higher position on Netflix’s charts, a development that has taken many by surprise.
Earlier this year, Kiran Rao faced criticism from Sandeep Reddy Vanga, known for his outspoken nature. However, Rao can now find solace and vindication in the streaming success of *Laapataa Ladies*. Despite being termed a ‘low-budget’ film, *Laapataa Ladies* has captivated audiences on Netflix, outpacing Vanga’s *Animal*, which despite its big-budget production and intense promotion, has not managed to keep up in viewership numbers.
Ranbir Kapoor’s *Animal* premiered in theaters back in December, smashing box office records with a worldwide haul exceeding Rs 900 crore. In contrast, *Laapataa Ladies* had a more understated premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year before making a modest box office return of just over Rs 20 crore globally when it was released in theaters in March. However, the narrative shifted drastically when both films took to the streaming platform.
According to reports from the Indian Express, *Laapataa Ladies* started streaming on Netflix a month ago and has since amassed an impressive 13.8 million views. The numbers tell quite a different story for *Animal*, which debuted on Netflix in January and initially gathered at least 13.6 million views within the first three weeks. However, it soon dropped out of the top 10 in the fourth week, a fate that *Laapataa Ladies* managed to avoid. In fact, Rao’s film not only remained in the top 10 for an additional week compared to *Animal*, but it has also impressively maintained a spot within the top 5 throughout its streaming period.
Breaking down the figures further, *Laapataa Ladies* accumulated 5.3 million viewing hours from 2.6 million views in its first week. The momentum continued in the second week with 7 million viewing hours from 3.4 million views, and even more remarkably, it surged in the third week with 11.
.6 million viewing hours from 5.6 million views. By the fourth week, even as viewership naturally started to decline, the film still maintained respectable numbers with 4.5 million viewing hours from 2.2 million views.
The movie’s charm and resonating storyline have evidently captivated a broad audience base, drawing praise from notable names in the industry. Bollywood actresses Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra, both known for their discerning taste in films, have been vocal about their admiration for *Laapataa Ladies*. Their endorsements add a layer of validation to the film’s unexpected success.
Echoing heartfelt appreciation, Alia Bhatt took to her Instagram stories to laud the film. She shared the film’s poster from Aamir Khan Productions’ official Instagram handle and penned, “Such a wonderful time at the movies. These ladies, Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel and gentlemen Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan truly have my heart. Such a beautiful film and what fabulous performances by the entire cast. Congratulations to all of you.”
Equally impressed, Priyanka Chopra expressed her delight on Instagram, stating, “Thank you for the entertainment and the education @raodyness! Congratulations on this, make more movies!” Her post highlighted not just the entertainment value but also the insightful themes explored by the film.
It wasn’t just Alia and Priyanka; the film garnered praise from younger actors such as Ananya Panday, who also took to her Instagram stories to share her thoughts. She wrote, “This one’s a real delight, couldn’t recommend it enough,” capturing the sentiment shared by many of the film’s viewers.
Despite the earlier disparaging remarks from Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the success of *Laapataa Ladies* on Netflix signifies a triumph for Kiran Rao, underscoring the film industry’s unpredictable nature. This outcome shines a spotlight on the potential and prowess of storytelling, irrespective of budget size, marketing scale, or prior expectations. The streaming era continues to level the playing field, enabling diverse narratives to reach and resonate with a global audience.
