KRG Studios is an Indian film production and distribution company based in Bengaluru, India. It primarily deals with the production and distribution of Kannada-language and non-Kannada films across Karnataka. [1]
KRG Studios established its distribution business in 2017 by Karthik Gowda with Yogi G Raj, having distributed over 100+ films in Karnataka to date. In 2020, KRG Studios ventured into full-fledged production, from conceptualization to creation of feature films and also launched the KRG Connects movie marketing unit in the same year. [2]
KRG Studios ventured into film production with Rathnan Prapancha , a film starring Dhananjay is an Indian Kannada-language comedy drama film written and directed by Rohit Padaki. [3] The film stars Malayalam actress, Reba Monica John in her Kannada debut, Panju, Umashree, Ravishankar Gowda, Anu Prabhakar and others. It was released directly on the digital platform Amazon Prime Video on 22 October 2021. It received positive reviews from critics and audience and became a streaming blockbuster on Amazon Prime Video.
Following their success of Rathnan Prapancha, they produced Gurudev Hoysala in 2023, an action thriller film written and directed by Vijay Naagendra, starring Dhananjaya, Amrutha Iyengar, B. S. Avinash, Achyuth Kumar, Naveen Shankar, Anirudh Bhat, Mayuri Nataraj, Rajesh Nataranga and others. B. Ajaneesh Loknath composed the soundtrack and background score, while Karthik.S handled the cinematography. The film marks Dhananjaya's 25th film as an actor. [4] Released on 30 March 2023, it opened to positive reviews and critical acclaim. [5]
Uttarakaanda , [6] has been announced as the next production venture by KRG Studios. Directed by Rohit Padaki, the film stars Dr.Shivarajkumar, Dhananjaya and Ramya as lead roles. [7] It is one of the most anticipated Kannada cinema, especially because it marks the return of Sandalwood Queen Ramya. [8] However, Ramya opted out of the film due to unavailability of dates. [9] It was also reported that Atul Kulkarni was roped into play a role in the film. [10] Bollywood music composer and singer Amit Trivedi will make his Kannada debut with Uttarakaanda, [11] while cinematography will be handled by Advaitha Gurumurthy and art direction by Vishwas Kashyap. The team also held auditions for the supporting and other background actors in and around North Karnataka in March. [12]
After filming began in April 2024, further cast details were revealed over the following days with their first look posters. Chaithra Achar who has showcased her talent in movies like Saptha Sagaradache Ello, Toby andGilky was roped in to play Lacchi. [13] Malayalam Filmmaker Vijay Babu was cast in the role of Torrino. [14] Diganth to play Mallige, a character distinct from his previous roles. [15] Director Yograj Bhat as Patil, while veteran and accomplished actors Rangayana Raghu and Gopal Krishna Deshpande were cast as Bande Kaaka and Dharma respectively. [16] National award-winning actress Umashree was on boarded to play the role of Pandari Bai, this movie marks her second collaboration with the director and production team following their successful film Rathnan Prapancha. [17] and finally Aishwarya Rajesh was announced as the female lead 'Durgi' owing to the vacancy as Ramya backing out of the project. The film marks her debut in Kannada cinema who has worked in various roles in the South Indian Films. [18] It is also reported that actress Bhavana Menon is also included in the cast who would is said to be paired opposite Shivarajkumar who have proved to be a successful onscreen pair. [19]
On the occasion of their 6th anniversary, KRG Studios announced their collaboration with TVF Motion Pictures in the arena of feature films with a specific focus on South Indian regional languages [20] with the purpose of bringing interesting and fresh stories to young adults everywhere. The muhurtha of the film happened in Bangalore on 6 September 2023, where Kichcha Sudeep was the special guest at the event and slammed the clapboard for the first scene of the film, titled Powder. [21] A comedy Kannada feature film, directed by the Janardhan Chikkanna and written by Deepak Venkateshan, the movie boasts a stellar cast including Diganth, Dhanya Ramkumar, Sharmiela Mandre, Anirudh Acharya, Rangayana Raghu, Ravishankar Gowda, Gopal Krishna Deshpande and others. The shooting commenced in Mysuru on 30 October 2023 [22] and concluded with a second schedule in Bangalore on 14 March 2024. [23] The film is slated to release in theatres on 12 July 2024. [24]
Further, the production has announced their next film (5th production) on 25 June 2023, tilted Kirik'et 11. [25] The movie marks the Kannada debut of director Suman Kumar, co-writer of the popular Hindi web series The Family Man and Farzi written by Manoj Kumar Kalvanan, the film revolves around cricket starring Danish Sait and Naveen Shankar in lead roles. [26] The shooting of the film will commence shortly. [27]
On the eve of superstar Kiccha Sudeep's birthday in 2023, the production team made an exciting announcement that they will be working with Sudeep for the very first time on a film titled KK (King Kichcha). [28] The film marks the return of the actor to the director's chair after nearly a decade. [29] The team has shared a title teaser that reveals the tagline "God Forgives, I don't" which suggests that Sudeep is ready to take on yet another actioner with KK, with him also playing the main lead. [30]
The banner has also ventured into Tamil language films through collaborating with acclaimed filmmaker Anjali Menon [31] and Malayalam through collaboration with Friday Film House. [32]
As KRG expands its footprint to comprehensive film production, on February 20, 2024, the production proudly announced its first collaboration with the trendsetting filmmaker Anjali Menon for their next project tentatively title KRG07. [33] Known for her iconic works such as the highly acclaimed Bangalore Days, Manjadikuru, Ustad Hotel, Koode and more recently Wonder Women , Anjali Menon brings her unique storytelling prowess to a special Tamil feature film in partnership with KRG. [34] This collaboration with Anjali Menon marks a pivotal moment for the company, focusing on bridging gaps in storytelling within the Kannada industry and beyond. [35]
On 29 February 2024, Friday Film House and KRG Studios announced their collaboration to produce and distribute feature films. [36] The collaboration will initially involve three feature films and will explore several other opportunities in distribution. The first feature titled Padakkalam, directed by Manu Swaraj will commence production soon. [37]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Rathnan Prapancha | Direct OTT Release on Amazon Prime | [138] |
| 2023 | Orchestra Mysuru | Presented by KRG Studios along with Daali Pictures | [139] |
| Gurudev Hoysala | [140] | ||
| 2024 | Powder | In collaboration with The Viral Fever | [141] |
| 2025 | Ekka | In collaboration with PRK Productions & Jayanna Films | [142] |
| TBA | "Mango Pachcha" † | Filming | [143] |
| TBA | Uttarakaanda† | Anjali Menon Direction | [144] |
| TBA | Padakkalam† | In collaboration with Friday Film House | [145] |
| TBA | King Kichcha (KK)† | Filming | [146] |