Will Netflix shelve 'Rakt Bramhand' due to budget issues?
What's the story
Netflix's high-budget fantasy series, Rakt Bramhand - The Bloody Kingdom, might be called off due to financial issues, reported PeepingMoon. The show has been stalled for four months, and sources reveal that Netflix has put it on indefinite hold after reviewing its budgetary constraints with a new executive producer. The report also claims that the series's executive producer was accused of mismanagement of funds and discrepancies in accounting records during production.
Financial discussions
'Figures simply failed to align...': Source on budget issues
A source told Peeping Moon, "About two weeks ago, Netflix held a closed-door meeting with creators Raj & DK and the new executive producer, who has previously worked with Aamir Khan's and Farhan Akhtar's banners." "They examined the existing budget and the actual costs required to move forward. The figures simply failed to align." Rahi Anil Barve is the director of the series.
Production challenges
Actors have moved on to other projects
The show has faced several production delays since the financial fraud emerged. Actors Aditya Roy Kapur, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Ali Fazal have moved on to do other projects because of the uncertainty about the project. Allegedly, the script is also currently undergoing major rewrites, resulting in a massive overhaul of the previously shot material.
Streaming giant's strategy
26 days of footage being discarded: Source
The source added, "They're now required to reshoot everything from scratch, which means the 26 days of footage already filmed is being discarded." "This adds a significant financial burden on a project that was already estimated to cost around ₹200 crore." "Netflix has a history of abandoning projects to mitigate long-term losses even after considerable investment, and they seem to be heading in that same direction for Rakt Bramhand as well."
Official statement
Raj-DK said the show is an 'ambitious epic project'
Meanwhile, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK said in a statement, "This is an ambitious epic project unfolding over multiple schedules. We just finished most of our indoor talkie schedule, and we are now prepping for the next big schedule that is mostly outdoors and action." "The plan is to wait for the rains to clear for a suitable filming window." However, PeepingMoon's report added, "They've been delaying this for so long now that it feels unlikely to restart anytime soon. "