Bethlehem Kudumba Unit Draws Mixed Reactions After Its JioHotstar Release

Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is now on JioHotstar, and the Malayalam romantic comedy is getting a very different reaction online from the one it got in cinemas. The film stars Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju and is directed by Girish AD. It started streaming on October 2 after a hugely successful run in theatres.

The numbers from that run are big. The film reportedly earned 164.59 crore net in India in 42 days, which comes to about 194.22 crore gross. It made 52.3 crore net in its first week and another 49.85 crore in its second, then slowed to 3.58 crore in week six. Reports say it is heading for a final total of 168 to 169 crore net.

The film was reportedly made for 30 crore, so that total means returns of about 448 percent, and it has been called a super duper hit. It released on August 21 and was also reported to be the highest grossing Malayalam film ever, beating the industry's earlier records.

Streaming has put the film in front of a much bigger audience, and not everyone is impressed. On social media, some viewers have called it overhyped. They ask how such a simple story managed such a huge run, and they doubt its box office figures. Others have defended it, pointing to how entertaining it is and how well it holds up on a second watch.

The age gap romance between Justin, played by Nivin Pauly, and Ashley, played by Mamitha Baiju, is also being debated. Even while it was in theatres, some viewers said they enjoyed the film but felt uneasy about the relationship when they thought of it in real life terms.

Fahadh Faasil, Dileesh Pothan and Syam Pushkaran produced the film under the Fahadh Faasil and Friends, Bhavana Studios and Working Class Hero banners. The cast also includes Sangeeth Prathap, Shyam Mohan, Suresh Krishna and Vinay Forrt.