Lal Salaam (Red Salute), a Tamil sports action film featuring Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth in the lead roles alongside Jeevitha and a host of other actors, was widely discussed for two main reasons — its director Aishwarya Rajinikanth, and the extended cameo by her father, the legendary Rajinikanth himself.

Released in February last year, the film unfortunately failed to attract audiences and reportedly ended up as a major financial loss for its producers, despite the towering presence of the magnetic Thalaivar.

Made on an estimated budget of over ₹80 crores, the film is said to have grossed just around ₹20 crores by the end of its theatrical run — quite evidently a dismal, if not disastrous, performance. In short, a box office dud.

The Curious Case of the Missing Hard Disks

Cut to a recent incident: over the past week or so, controversy has been brewing around a missing hard disk reportedly containing crucial footage of the much-hyped upcoming Tollywood film Kannappa, which boasts an ensemble cast including Vishnu Manchu, Mohanlal, Kajal Aggarwal, Prabhas, and Akshay Kumar.

Following the incident, Vishnu Manchu has reportedly suspected the involvement of Manchu Manoj, thereby once again exposing the rifts within the Mohan Babu family.

'Lal Salaam' and the OTT Delay

Coming back to Lal Salaam, soon after it was pulled from theatres, the film was supposedly meant to stream on Netflix. But much to the dismay of Rajinikanth fans, that release never happened and has been pending ever since.

As per the latest information, Lal Salaam will finally be available on SunNxt starting June 6, coinciding with the Bakrid festivities.

A 'Similar' Problem

Sometime last year, following the failure of Lal Salaam, director Aishwarya Rajinikanth revealed to the media that during production, a hard disk containing footage from nearly 21 days of filming had gone missing. According to her, this incident significantly impacted the creative vision of the film, forcing compromises that ultimately affected its quality and reception.

This mishap is believed to have delayed the film’s OTT release for over a year. However, sources suggest that a considerable portion of the lost footage has now been retrieved and restored in an effort to ensure a better viewing experience for OTT audiences.

And now, we’re seeing — if not the exact same — a similar issue playing out with Kannappa. Which begs the question: Where do all these missing hard disks go?

Such recurring issues underscore the uncertainties and unpredictable challenges that plague the entertainment industry. From small indie projects to massive star-studded productions, taking a film from the shoot floor to theatrical release — and finally onto OTT platforms — demands meticulous planning, relentless hard work, and, sometimes, just plain luck.