Director Boyapati Srinu’s 2017 film, ‘Jaya Janaki Nayaka,’ has made history by becoming the first film to amass 1 billion views on YouTube. The Telugu film’s Hindi-dubbed version, ‘Khatarnaak,’ achieved this milestone, validating Srinu’s belief in content-driven cinema despite its initial theatrical performance.
Key Points
'Jaya Janaki Nayaka' (Hindi-dubbed 'Khatarnaak') achieved 1 billion YouTube views, a historic milestone.
Director Boyapati Srinu credits the film's unprecedented online success to its strong content.
Despite initial theatrical disappointment, the film found massive global reach and validation online.
Srinu views the milestone as a "divine blessing" and support for his conviction in content-driven films.
A Billion-View Milestone for ‘Jaya Janaki Nayaka’
Nine years after its theatrical release, Akhanda franchise-fame writer-director Boyapati Srinu ’s film Jaya Janaki Nayaka is making headlines once again. The Telugu film’s Hindi-dubbed version, Khatarnaak, starring Bellamkonda Sreenivas and Rakul Preet Singh , has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first film to amass 1 billion views on YouTube.
Speaking to HT City, Srinu expressed his gratitude, saying, “I just tried to make a good film and in nine years it became so big. For me, love is not about position; it’s about perfection and happiness for the rest of life. This is the heart of the film’s content.”
With a career spanning several notable films, Srinu has directed Simha (2012), Legend (2014), and Akhanda with Nandamuri Balakrishna, Dammu with Jr NTR , Sarrainodu (2016) with Allu Arjun , and Vinaya Vidheya Rama (2019) with Ram Charan .
Director Boyapati Srinu’s Content Conviction
He shared his perspective on the film’s journey, “I made a good film and I knew that. And, after all these years, it has become true from the public point of view! Yes, I was a little disappointed when the film did not work then, but it has become the most watched film ever. It’s because of the content.”
He added, “It gives support to my vision to believe in content and make films for people with conviction without fear of the result. Less people may have seen it in the theatre, but it reached a billion people.”
The director further noted, “I have made eleven films so far and out of them, nine-ten are in the hit and superhit category. Before this film, I had released Sarrainodu with Allu Arjun, which became a big commercial success. This film did not work in the theatre but has reached more people than my other films – that too across languages.”
From Theatrical Disappointment to Global Success
Crediting the success to his recent pilgrimage to Tirupati Temple (Andhra Pradesh), Srinu described the news as “a divine blessing of Lord Venkateswara.”
On future plans, he said, “We are in the process of finalising a film and soon we will be making an announcement on the same. Yes, we will make Akhanda 3 too, but that will take some time. We shot Akhanda 2 in Uttar Pradesh during the Maha Kumbha in Prayagraj when crores of people were present. We intend to shoot in North India again.”
This unprecedented online success for ‘Jaya Janaki Nayaka’ underscores the enduring power of compelling content, proving that a film’s true potential can transcend initial box office results and find a global audience over time.
